Tuesday, September 26, 2000
If LeBeau fails, who is next?
By Tom Groeschen
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Mike Brown said Dick LeBeau is more than just an interim coach, but that didn't stop the speculation machine Monday.
As in, who will be the team's head coach for 2001 and beyond?
Sam Wyche? (Doubtful).
Hal Mumme? (Hmmm).
Marty Schottenheimer? (Forget it).
The NFL hot list, but not necessarily the Bengals' list, includes Stanford University coach Tyrone Willingham and New York Giants offensive coordinator Sean Payton. Chicago offensive coordinator Gary Crowton and Buffalo defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell are also respected.
Wyche, the former Bengals coach, seems an extremely outside shot. Mumme, the University of Kentucky coach, is an offensive whiz. Schottenheimer, the former Kansas City and Cleveland coach, reportedly has no interest in Cincinnati.
Bengals fans, sports talk shows, and even non-sports fans were rounding up the usual suspects Monday. Since LeBeau is 63 years old and the Bengals are consistent losers, some believe he won't last.
“Dick is the head coach,” Brown said. “As head coach, he's no different than any other head coach. It's a bottom-line business, and if we do well, he would stay the head coach.”
Dick Vermeil won a Super Bowl last year at age 63. Marv Levy coached four Super Bowl teams in Buffalo, the first one when he was 65. But they were the exception in a young man's game.
And don't even mention the Bill Parcells, Jimmy Johnson and Vermeil types.
“Anybody big-time would want total control, and that's contrary to the philosophy of this football organization,” Bengals radio analyst Dave Lapham said.
Paul Zimmerman, aka “Dr. Z” of Sports Illustrated, said the hot list changes yearly.
“It used to be (Steve) Spurrier. Once it was Joe Paterno,” Zimmerman said Monday. “And now it's Tyrone Willingham. There's always one guy from college, and some NFL coordinators.”
The tendency is to think of Bengals ties. Of the eight coaches the Bengals have had, only one, Forrest Gregg, had not been a Bengals player or assistant coach.
“I don't think it's totally out of the realm of possibility that Sam Wyche would be talked to again,” Lapham said. “He was very popular with the public and it would be a good PR move, but right now he's got the voice problem.”
Wyche, now an NFL analyst for CBS-TV, has been idled by a voice problem that has kept him off the air. Wyche left the Bengals under trying circumstances in late 1991, after a 3-13 season. It was never clear whether Wyche resigned or was fired after a meeting with Brown, but the two men repaired their relationship long ago.
Vote in our online poll
Join the discussion in our Bengals forum.
Bengals Stories
• Return to Bengals front page...
If LeBeau fails, who is next?
