| ProFootballWeekly.com asks
contributing editor Joel Buchsbaum for his thoughts on news from around the league. 
Davis set to leave Miami for Cleveland
The Browns were set to introduce Butch Davis as their new head coach today, a day after
he resigned as coach of the Miami Hurricanes.
Davis is a 15-year NFL assistant who won a pair of Super Bowl titles in Dallas before
turning around a Miami football program that had its fair share of trouble upon his
arrival. According to Browns team president Carmen Policy, Davis has always been the No. 1
candidate for the job, but Davis previously had rejected the rumors that had him leaving
Miami for Cleveland. But things changed after Policy spoke with Davis’ agent, Marvin
Demoff, last week. Davis’ deal with the Browns is reportedly worth between $13-15
million over five years.
Profootballweekly.com: What was your initial reaction to Davis’ sudden
departure from Miami?
Buchsbaum: I think it was disgraceful the way the situation was handled. He basically
told the players on the Miami team that he’d be back. He told the recruits he’d
be their coach. Until Carmen Policy found his money price, he was going to be, but he
showed that loyalty means less to him than money in this case. I think he’s a heck of
a coach, but I don’t think he did right by his players or right by the University of
Miami by pulling out right before the recruiting date.
Profootballweekly.com: How much of a bind does this put Miami in?
Buchsbaum: It devastates their program. They had one of the top 5 recruiting classes in
the country ready to come in, and now they don’t even have a head coach.
Profootballweekly.com: What does Davis bring to the Browns?
Buchsbaum: He’s got pro experience and college experience. He’s been highly
successful on the college level. He relates well to his players, and he’s a
motivator.
Lewis and Fox compete for head coaching job
Bills president and general manager Tom Donahoe was in Baltimore on Monday to interview
Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis and was scheduled to meet with Giants defensive
coordinator John Fox today. The two were not allowed to pursue other job opportunities
until their seasons were completed, but they are considered the leading candidates for the
Bills head coaching job, the last such vacancy in the league.
Profootballweekly.com: Can you compare Lewis and Fox?
Buchsbaum: They both work well with people, they relate well to their players,
they’re charismatic, they are somewhat emotional, they both have had great success
and Fox is a little bit more of a gambler.
Profootballweekly.com: Fox said he was discouraged with the fact he wasn’t
given an opportunity to interview for the Browns’ job. What do you think about the
rules that keep coaches who are still alive in the postseason from competing for coaching
vacancies elsewhere?
Buchsbaum: I think it stinks. I think they should make every team wait until after the
Super Bowl to hire coaches. It puts the coaches who had the greatest success during the
season at a tremendous disadvantage. |
