NFL VI - I'm dreaming of a White Christmas...

[BLU-RAY]

I'll give what hope I can:

Give him money! Give him power! Do I look like I care? Do it!

Though, tbh, a part of me is worried that Cowher, in the time he's taken off, has begun to believe his own hype a bit. Still, I don't really care as long as we don't get Weiss; I'd be OK sticking with Perry Fewell, who they fired but are interviewing for the HC position anyway, over Weiss.

Thanks, J. Last I'd heard of that story, he was "unlikely to coach in 2010" so I appreciate the glimmer of hope.

[Trebla]

The word is that Cowher really wanted the Texans job (great, young offensive talent. could probably do a Green Bay quality switch to 3-4) but will probably sit another year until better job opens. Though the Dallas writers seem to think he would snatch up the Dallas job if Phillips loses this week.

As far as Buffalo, I think they should try and get Marty Schottenheimer. Has any coach ever gotten the shaft as bad as he has? Forget about his playoff record. A team like Buffalo, who hasn't won anything in AGES, should just try and get a coach who can just get them a winning record. He always builds a winner. Don't worry about the playoffs until you actually get there.

Congrats to the Skins for getting a good coach. Will be intersting to see how he does. I think first and foremost they have to look at just winning games in the NFC East. They got swept this year. And to win in the division they need stronger lines. An O-line that can pass protect and a d-line that can provide a better pass rush. They have the run stuffers but they need the heat. ESPN insiders wonder if Shannahan will want to just blow up the team and just start from scratch. The big question is whether Snyder could stomach that and not want to sign free agents at 12:01 of free agency.

[Jaime L]

Congrats to the Skins for getting a good coach. Will be intersting to see how he does. I think first and foremost they have to look at just winning games in the NFC East. They got swept this year. And to win in the division they need stronger lines. An O-line that can pass protect and a d-line that can provide a better pass rush. They have the run stuffers but they need the heat. ESPN insiders wonder if Shannahan will want to just blow up the team and just start from scratch. The big question is whether Snyder could stomach that and not want to sign free agents at 12:01 of free agency.

See I think the D-line is fine. Haynesworth wasn't great this year, but his presence still allowed Carter and Orakpo to flourish. The Skins had more of a pass rush this year than any of the recent seasons. If they're smart, this year they'll keep Orakpo as a DE full time, instead of being a linebacker who moonlights as a DE during passing situations. Pretty remarkable that he had double digit sacks as a rookie considering the amount of time he was stuck in coverage. He looks like the real deal though..and has a great shot at winning DROY.

But, yeah, the O-line was a travesty this year. Yeah, there were a ridiculous number of injuries (think the Skins lost two full Offensive lines during the course of the season to injury), but a smarter front office would've realized that the entire O-line averaged over 30 years of age and would've prepared accordingly. They really need to pick up at least 2-3 promising O-lineman in the draft to have any chance for a turnaround. Every position on the line should be considered up for grabs at this point. Also Joe Bugel's retiring and after this season, I can't blame him. It was probably hell trying to bring 2 new scrub O-linemen up to speed every week. So we'll have to get a new O-line coach as well and considering it's Shanahan coming in, probably a new philosophy from power blocking to zone blocking. What's Alex Gibbs doing these days?

[Centrist Simon Steele]

Shanahan is the king of finding o-line talent and making it work. The only year we had a bad o-line in Denver was in 07 when it was decimated by injuries. Every other year our 6th and 7th round centers and guards dominated.

[Maithanet]

See I think the D-line is fine. Haynesworth wasn't great this year, but his presence still allowed Carter and Orakpo to flourish. The Skins had more of a pass rush this year than any of the recent seasons. If they're smart, this year they'll keep Orakpo as a DE full time, instead of being a linebacker who moonlights as a DE during passing situations. Pretty remarkable that he had double digit sacks as a rookie considering the amount of time he was stuck in coverage. He looks like the real deal though..and has a great shot at winning DROY.

But, yeah, the O-line was a travesty this year. Yeah, there were a ridiculous number of injuries (think the Skins lost two full Offensive lines during the course of the season to injury), but a smarter front office would've realized that the entire O-line averaged over 30 years of age and would've prepared accordingly. They really need to pick up at least 2-3 promising O-lineman in the draft to have any chance for a turnaround. Every position on the line should be considered up for grabs at this point. Also Joe Bugel's retiring and after this season, I can't blame him. It was probably hell trying to bring 2 new scrub O-linemen up to speed every week. So we'll have to get a new O-line coach as well and considering it's Shanahan coming in, probably a new philosophy from power blocking to zone blocking. What's Alex Gibbs doing these days?

I agree that the D line isn't where I'd focus my time. The pass rush wasn't exceptional, but it was at least average, if not a bit above average. If we had a free safety who wanted to play the position instead of just light people up, I don't think it would have been much of a problem. The talk of converting to the 3-4 has me nervous, because we have 3 good DTs and 2 good DEs, and only 2 good linebackers. I think we have enough problems elsewhere to not want to try and bring in at least 2 more linebackers for heavy duties.

Unlike the D line, the O line was atrocious. You cannot win with O linemen castoff from other teams. It can't be done. I really hope we use our #4 pick on a lineman. If we get Bradford instead, I wish him luck, but it'll be a very very long season for him and for Skins fans. He better get used to having a separated shoulder.

[Rockroi]

Well, for starters gratz to the Redskins for starting their recovery efforts.

I want to know whats up with Belichick lately, he seems to really be ripping into people (as far as Belichick goes). After Casserly makes some comments regarding Brady playing with broken ribs etc... “Who’s been wrong more than Charley Casserly since he left the Redskins? His percentage is like a meteorologist,”

After some previously unknown Panthers safety makes a comment about how hard Moss was playing: "My response would be that's a lot of conversation coming from a team that just lost another game."

Actually, Belichick does this every so often, and I think its aimed at people who, essentially, talk too much. After the 2004 Superbowl, Belichick spoke to Peter King about perennial loud-mouth Eagles Wide Receiver Freddie Mitchell. Belichick said "All he does is talk. He's terrible, and you can print that. I was happy when he was in the game."

In 2008 as Spygate, needlessly, returned to the forefront, Belichick jumped on the idiot semi-golf pro and former Pats 3rd rate video hack who made claims that he was an intricate part of the Pats offensive planning sessions, Belichick said that any assertion by this "guy" that he was a part of anything other than setting up the camera is completely ludicrous.

Finally, in 2006 Jags coach Jack del Rio made some comments on his web page about how he wished Tom Brady would slide more because that would allow players to spear him. Belichick responded, "Considering Tom's great games over the years against Jack Del Rio's defenses, you can understand (his) frustration ... I'm all for supporting your players, but it was a little surprising to hear he said that."

He does this. He takes swings at people who open their yappers for no reason.

Rockroi - Your scenario about "if I were picking now for the future" is where you could make the best argument for Rodgers being as good as I say he is. Sounds like everyone agrees that physical tools are there in excess. And it also seems like people agree that he's got it upstairs too. So what's he lacking? Just on-the-field accomplishments? I'm not downplaying how valuable those are, but since last year was his first year as a starter it's pretty hard to hold that against him. And this year he's looking really strong and will now be in the playoffs in year 2.

I agree. And its not like Rodgers has been bad out there- he's really, really good. And I completely agree that Rodgers' lack of titles, etc should not be held against him; after all, I was the one who mentioned Peter King's comparison between Favre's 2 SB years and Rodgers' first two starting years - they ahve many similarities. I think Rogers is really good; I would have no issues picking him as the 6th/7th best QB in the NFL. That's really really good- the guys above him have shown more, most likely because they have had far more opportunities.

[Trebla]

I agree that the D line isn't where I'd focus my time. The pass rush wasn't exceptional, but it was at least average, if not a bit above average. If we had a free safety who wanted to play the position instead of just light people up, I don't think it would have been much of a problem. The talk of converting to the 3-4 has me nervous, because we have 3 good DTs and 2 good DEs, and only 2 good linebackers. I think we have enough problems elsewhere to not want to try and bring in at least 2 more linebackers for heavy duties.

Unlike the D line, the O line was atrocious. You cannot win with O linemen castoff from other teams. It can't be done. I really hope we use our #4 pick on a lineman. If we get Bradford instead, I wish him luck, but it'll be a very very long season for him and for Skins fans. He better get used to having a separated shoulder.

My point is that to win in the NFC East, they have to be better than average. You have 3 very good QB's who can light up the scoreboard. How many sacks did Phillip Daniels have?

A switch to the 3-4 might be the thing to do. Orakpo would be a great 3-4 outside linebacker. Haynesworth could probably play end or tackle. The key would be Andre Carter. I think he could also make the switch. Guys like Willie McGinnest, Greg Ellis, and Aaron Kampman made the switch from DE to OLB. He's really the right size.

[Slurktan]

So lost in this whole Shanahan thing is a question I have.... what happened to the Rooney rule? Does Snyder just get to hire whomever he wants without interviewing black coaches like everybody else?

As for Shanahan himself..... I don't think he i that great of a coach and his career was mostly made by John Elway. Hopefully he can prove me wrong.

[Bronn Stone]

Shannahan is the master of teaching linemen dirty tricks that are just barely legal. Opposing players HATE it, but the rules are the rules and he finds the gray area. His system is the least reliant on OL talent of any successful one out there.

And I think any list that ranks Roethlisberger ahead of Rodgers in any category except "Titles Won" and "Jerkness" is insane. Well, maybe "Monstrous Build" also.

[awesome possum]

So the Bears had their big press conference yesterday where they announced Lovie Smith was still going to be head coach in 2010. As expected the entire offensive coaching staff has been fired and Lovie "removed" himself from defensive coordinator play-calling.

A lot of the Bears fans I know have been flipping out because Bill Cowher was "ours for the taking" while apparently forgetting how cheap the McCaskey's and the Bears board of directors are. They won't pay Lovie's salary as well as Cowher's. And Cowher would want to bring in his own GM, meaning they'd have to pay two GMs and two head coaches. Just not going to happen. Hopefully next season if Cowher doesn't go to the Bills (very unlikely at this point) but unless the Bears lost to both the Vikings and the Lions to finish the season Lovie was guaranteed to be back.

Now it's time to determine whether to root for the Bears to succeed, as everyone wants their team to win; or to hope they have another down year so that Lovie is gone. If he makes the playoffs next year he'll almost certainly get an extension... but then again if he makes the playoffs and does well most Bears fans will forget the drama of this season.

Just wanted to point out that the "Fountain of Douchebaggery" is located about 100 yards from the "Plaza of Assholes" and two blocks over from "Raging Dickheads Square" in Patriots Place, Foxboro, MA. Patriots players bathe in the Fountain every Tuesday, noon to 2pm. They then go out and beat up homeless people.

Someone needs to teach the homeless a lesson. Especially this time of year when they need something to keep them warm. Why not beatings? And to be fair, I think Raging Dickheads Square has been closed for renovations since Rodney Harrison retired. :P

[Maithanet]

So lost in this whole Shanahan thing is a question I have.... what happened to the Rooney rule? Does Snyder just get to hire whomever he wants without interviewing black coaches like everybody else?

The Redskins interviewed their secondaries coach Jerry Gray for the Head Coaching position several weeks ago. He was widely considered to have no chance of getting the position, and interviewing for the position of your boss (or boss's boss, depending on how you look at it) is pretty questionable, considering Zorn was still head coach at that time. This was obviously for no purpose other than to fufill the Rooney Rule, and it shows that Gray was willing to do what Snyder wanted, rather than refusing to interview for a variety of moral reasons. I think it's pretty sad that the Rooney rule is being so subverted (it isn't that hard to follow!), that you can interview someone when the position is not yet vacated. I've heard that Snyder went so far as to confirm with the organization who enforces the Rooney Rule that this Gray interview was sufficient to avoid punishment. And this confirmation was given that it was indeed adequate. All of course, before Zorn was actually fired.

Dan Snyder is a hard man to like.

[Arakasi]

Shannahan is the master of teaching linemen dirty tricks that are just barely legal. Opposing players HATE it, but the rules are the rules and he finds the gray area. His system is the least reliant on OL talent of any successful one out there.

And I think any list that ranks Roethlisberger ahead of Rodgers in any category except "Titles Won" and "Jerkness" is insane. Well, maybe "Monstrous Build" also.

Ben might be a jerk, but the guy is undeniably clutch. He has done great with a mediocre offensive line (and really his receivers aren't exactly studs either). The guy's playoff success puts him above Rodgers. He's been in the league what, 5 years and has 2 titles? And how many clutch 4th quarter comeback wins? The guy is top 5, no doubt about it.

[Bronn Stone]

Ben might be a jerk, but the guy is undeniably clutch. He has done great with a mediocre offensive line (and really his receivers aren't exactly studs either). The guy's playoff success puts him above Rodgers. He's been in the league what, 5 years and has 2 titles? And how many clutch 4th quarter comeback wins? The guy is top 5, no doubt about it.

You are out of your mind if you think that Ben hasn't had great receivers. Between Santonio, Plaxico (while still only semi-crazy) and especially Hines Ward, he has a great crew that would do well with any quarterback. Miller is no slouch either. Wallace looks like the real deal as well.

His immaturity and utter stupidity knocks him down a whole lot in my book. I'd never want to take risks building a franchise around a mental case QB.

Two titles - in one of them he was 9-21 for 123 yards with 2 INT and 0 TD. Better in the other, but still a rather pedestrian 21-30 for 256 yards with a TD and a pick. And the TD was more the result of a miracle catch by Holmes than any special pass - frankly that pass was all but uncatchable.

Quarterbacks don't win titles - teams do. The first one came despite Ben and in the second he was nothing special.

[Maithanet]

You are out of your mind if you think that Ben hasn't had great receivers. Between Santonio, Plaxico (while still only semi-crazy) and especially Hines Ward, he has a great crew that would do well with any quarterback. Miller is no slouch either. Wallace looks like the real deal as well.

His immaturity and utter stupidity knocks him down a whole lot in my book. I'd never want to take risks building a franchise around a mental case QB.

Two titles - in one of them he was 9-21 for 123 yards with 2 INT and 0 TD. Better in the other, but still a rather pedestrian 21-30 for 256 yards with a TD and a pick. And the TD was more the result of a miracle catch by Holmes than any special pass - frankly that pass was all but uncatchable.

Quarterbacks don't win titles - teams do. The first one came despite Ben and in the second he was nothing special.

Well, I can counter your cliche with one of my own: Stats don't win games.

Rothlisberger has a style that no other quarterback really has, and very few would dare attempt. He takes hits and makes plays, especially late in the game. Last year, time after time the Steelers would look pedestrian early on, but the longer things went, the better they seemed to play. Whenever the Steelers needed a drive, late in the game, Big Ben came through. It was a pretty incredible thing to see, and as someone who halfheartedly roots for the Ravens, it was miserable. If you're down 5 with two minutes to go and you need a quarterback, I can't see picking anyone else in the league.

Would he have won two super bowls without the Steelers defense? Of course not, no one wins without defense.

Would have have won without quality weapons? I'd say that his downfield targets are above average, but by no means more than that. Certainly not on the level of what the Cards and Chargers had (both of which the Steelers eliminated last year).

Oh, and uncatchable? What kind of argument is that? It was caught, so obviously it was a good pass. And if it had been incomplete, that was either first or second down, with plenty of time left. Even if the pass is incomplete I'd give the Steelers better than even odds to win.

[Rockroi]

I would not call Ben's second SB performance "pedestrian." The guy completed 70% of his passes and was a perpetual force on that final scoring drive that made his team champs. If I can say, honestly, that Tom Brady deserves credit for leading two SB winning drives (and he did, but thank you John Kasay for INEXPLICABLY kicking the ball out of bounds in that second Super-Bowl), than I have to do the same for Big Ben.

Now his 1st SB appearance was ... eminently forgettable. I still think that the Seahawks and Steelers put up the two worst performance by two teams in the same Superbowl, the second worst being having to watch the 1985 Patriots Superbowl two times in a row.

I think QBs get a disproportional amount of credit when a team wins a SB. This is NOT a new phenomenon. But AGAIN -look at the teams that are perpetually competitive in the NFL- Colts, Pats, Chargers, Eagles, Cowboys, Steelers. What do they all have in common? Is that just a coincidence? I am not inclined to think it is. Look at the Chargers: in the first few years it was a stout D and LT, but now? The D is on the decline, LT IS NOT the same RB, but Phillip Rivers is a stud. The Pats had their MOST success when their D was one of the best in the game, BUT they had their D has been struggling the last three years. And yet they are 26-6 during Tom Brady's last two seasons with a SB appearance. The Vikes were a struggling wildcard team without Favre. With him they are sitting pretty with a first round bye.

And the Colts? I would be shocked if the Colts are at .500 without the Sheriff (and yes- that nickname has grown on me). Shocked.

But (devil's advocate) Matt Cassell was a boarder-line pro-bowler when he played with the Pats. Not so much with KC. Cutler WAS a pro-bowler with the Broncos; he is unwatchably bad with the Bears.

I guess you could make arguments both ways, but I am unsure you can win a Superbowl without a very good QB. Unless you are the Ravens.

One final note, congrats to Tom Brady for winning the 2009 Comeback player of the year. No word yet if he will accept the trophy at the Fountain of Douchebaggery.

[Arakasi]

I guess I'm just not as big a fan of Ward as a pass catcher as I am of him as a blocker. Or maybe I'm just bitter for the year he screwed me in fantasy football. He's a good possession guy, but really not much else then that. Ben did have a good running game when Bettis was there, but since he has left Pittsburgh has had a horrible running game and a pretty bad offensive line.

I do agree he's had good weapons, but compared to other top teams recently really not better. Holmes isn't exactly a stud, and Miller while good is probably barely in the top 10 of receiving tight ends, if that.

But the reason I really like him is he is clutch in the 4th quarter and other late game situations. Sure his first super bowl was a weak game from him, but he was great in the 3 games leading up to it, so I'm willing to give him a pass for that.

This was compiled before this season, but this year he had a number of them plus a couple more I can think of that were thrown away by collapses of Pitt's special teams or defense.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=3401

15 in his career. Brady has 20 in a far longer career. Manning has a good lead, but if Ben stays healthy into his 30s he should eventually catch and pass him. Of course that is a big question.

[Bronn Stone]

Oh, and uncatchable? What kind of argument is that? It was caught, so obviously it was a good pass. And if it had been incomplete, that was either first or second down, with plenty of time left. Even if the pass is incomplete I'd give the Steelers better than even odds to win.

It's a stupid argument. Which is why I didn't make it. There is a big difference between 'uncatchable' and 'all but uncatchable'. A pass can be a LOT less than good and still be caught. In fact, sometimes a quarterback makes a horrible decision and a horrible pass but one of his teammates bails him out or a defender screws up. The play was a second down from the 6 and the Steelers had no timeouts left. Much less than 50%. Watch that replay again. That is a stud pla by a stud WR.

And there is no way to spin the statistics in Super Bowl XL as anything other than a QB who shat the bed and got bailed out by his teammates.

There is a reason that both Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes earned Super Bowl MVP honors. And it is that they carried their weaker teammate to victory.

But the reason I really like him is he is clutch in the 4th quarter and other late game situations. Sure his first super bowl was a weak game from him, but he was great in the 3 games leading up to it, so I'm willing to give him a pass for that.

15 in his career. Brady has 20 in a far longer career. Manning has a good lead, but if Ben stays healthy into his 30s he should eventually catch and pass him. Of course that is a big question.

Part of the reason that they have so many 4th quarter comebacks is that their above-average but not great QB doesn't put teams away early.

[Jaxom 1974]

So the Bears had their big press conference yesterday where they announced Lovie Smith was still going to be head coach in 2010. As expected the entire offensive coaching staff has been fired and Lovie "removed" himself from defensive coordinator play-calling.

A lot of the Bears fans I know have been flipping out because Bill Cowher was "ours for the taking" while apparently forgetting how cheap the McCaskey's and the Bears board of directors are. They won't pay Lovie's salary as well as Cowher's. And Cowher would want to bring in his own GM, meaning they'd have to pay two GMs and two head coaches. Just not going to happen. Hopefully next season if Cowher doesn't go to the Bills (very unlikely at this point) but unless the Bears lost to both the Vikings and the Lions to finish the season Lovie was guaranteed to be back.

Now it's time to determine whether to root for the Bears to succeed, as everyone wants their team to win; or to hope they have another down year so that Lovie is gone. If he makes the playoffs next year he'll almost certainly get an extension... but then again if he makes the playoffs and does well most Bears fans will forget the drama of this season.

Ser P, I didn't get any of that our of that press conference. Maybe I've had too much Score on yesterday and today, but Lovie Smith couldn't have been more defiant and belligerent. He came right out and said he planned on changing nothing in terms of the Defense. Sure there will be a new D-Coordinator, but only if he's calling the scheme Lovie wants. Hub Arkesh suggested tonight that even if that happens, by the time the thirs games comes around, if things aren't exactly how he wants them, he'll be calling the plays again himself. The idea that there will be a cahnge on the Defensive side is absurd. Hello what's his name from Buffalo! And who's going to want the Offensive Co-Ordinator job when there's virtually no chance that it'll be a gig longer than one year? No one established...though rumor is that Cutler's old QB coach form Denver (who's beein USC this year I guess) might be coming, but that's gonna be a Jay guy, not a Lovie guy...

Anyone got any thoughts on this? This could be huge...

[Jaime L]

It's a stupid argument. Which is why I didn't make it. There is a big difference between 'uncatchable' and 'all but uncatchable'. A pass can be a LOT less than good and still be caught. In fact, sometimes a quarterback makes a horrible decision and a horrible pass but one of his teammates bails him out or a defender screws up. The play was a second down from the 6 and the Steelers had no timeouts left. Much less than 50%. Watch that replay again. That is a stud pla by a stud WR.

And there is no way to spin the statistics in Super Bowl XL as anything other than a QB who shat the bed and got bailed out by his teammates.

There is a reason that both Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes earned Super Bowl MVP honors. And it is that they carried their weaker teammate to victory.

Yeah, but Big Ben also hit Holmes for an easy TD that Holmes dropped earlier in the series. Holmes actually caught the far tougher of the two TD passes thrown his way. He won MVP because it was truly an astounding catch, but honestly it was Big Ben who made things happen all game long. It's usually funny to me when a WR wins MVP. I mean, do the voters think the ball magically appeared in his hands? Ward deserved his in the prior Super Bowl because, well, someone deserved to win it and certainly not Ben. But in the latter one...I think in reality, Big Ben deserved it.

[Jaime L]

Great article on Shanahan by Les Carpenter in the Post today for those interested.

Excerpt:

In the days after he was fired as the coach and executive vice president of the Denver Broncos last winter, Mike Shanahan took an office not far from the team's complex. He staffed it with his longtime personal assistant and set up the room as if he was still a coach, installing television screens and a tape machine.

He devised a way to have piles of coaching-quality game films delivered to the office and dedicated five to six hours of each day to evaluating players, breaking down offenses and searching for new ways to respond to the latest defensive trends.

"He wants a place where he could shower, get dressed and go to work," said his longtime friend Les Shapiro, a radio host in Denver. "It's easy to bang around the house and wear sweats. He wants to work."

To those who know him, the office is the essence of Shanahan, the Washington Redskins' new head coach and executive vice president: a man so obsessed with detail that he draws plays on napkins even when dining out. Most coaches take vacations when they leave the NFL. Shanahan instead acted as if he never left, traveling to Florida to study Urban Meyer's spread offense and to New England to watch how Patriots Coach Bill Belichick ran his operation.

Such obsession led to two Broncos Super Bowl victories. It made him such a beloved figure in Denver that he recently opened a steakhouse and is still affectionately known around town as "the Mastermind." But his thirst for power and a confidence in his own coaching brilliance led him make bad player decisions, ultimately fracturing relationships inside the Denver front office. He won only one playoff game in the 10 years after the last Super Bowl, helped get the team fined twice for salary cap violations, then was fired after an 8-8 season in 2008.

An intensity burns in Shanahan, 57, that is unique even in a league of megalomaniac coaches. He is not a tall man, standing 5 feet 9, yet his compulsion about the smallest components and his demands that everything be perfect, create an air of rigid formality.

"There's no casual with Coach Shanahan," said Paul Kirk, the Broncos' former media director who now runs the Denver-based public relations firm ProLink Sports. "You come prepared and you don't make excuses."

As Broncos coach, the powers given him by team owner Pat Bowlen were so wide-ranging and controlled so much that he installed video cameras in every team meeting room so he could watch position meetings on a multi-window screen in his office just to make sure each coach taught the proper principles.

"He wasn't snooping on you but he wanted to make sure everybody was using the same language," said Tim Brewster, a former Denver assistant coach who is now the head coach at the University of Minnesota. "Mike would say: 'Tim, at the meeting today you said this. Is that how we talked about doing it?' "

The amazing thing about it, those who know Shanahan say, is that he was zealous enough to actually watch the meetings day after day.

Love him or hate him the man is fascinating.