What did you think of McCoy's "uptempo" offense?

[SDFan]

He should make a comeback. Guess he got burned out though.

As a HC, he never matched the success of our Super Bowl year. Record declined next year and he sucked as HC and player acquisition head at Detroit. Went back to college where his style was better suited. Fade to black....

[thelightningwill]

As a HC, he never matched the success of our Super Bowl year. Record declined next year and he sucked as HC and player acquisition head at Detroit. Went back to college where his style was better suited. Fade to black....

With the Chargers, Boss Ross took over a crap team that had been driven further into the dirt by Ortmayer, Spanos, and Henning. Ross led us into a couple post seasons including our only Super Bowl. Ross never once had a losing season with us.

Then he went to the Lions, who, like us, are a historic failure (perhaps even more so than us). He had one losing season out of four. Although I really didn't pay attention to Ross's time in Detroit, I figure he burned out on the NFL in the end. He up and quit in the middle of a season, I think. I'm not sure if he hated his front office or his players or what.

[thelightningwill]

With the Chargers, Boss Ross took over a crap team that had been driven further into the dirt by Ortmayer, Spanos, and Henning. Ross led us into a couple post seasons including our only Super Bowl. Ross never once had a losing season with us.

Then he went to the Lions, who, like us, are a historic failure (perhaps even more so than us). He had one losing season out of four. Although I really didn't pay attention to Ross's time in Detroit, I figure he burned out on the NFL in the end. He up and quit in the middle of a season, I think. I'm not sure if he hated his front office or his players or what.

Ah. Looked up Bobby Ross on Wikipedia. This is what the Web site says about his stay in Detroit.

Following the 1996 season, Ross left the Chargers to take a more lucrative, and perhaps more rewarding position as the Head Coach of the Detroit Lions, where he would have control of all player personnel decisions and be able to hire his own staff. He held the position until the middle of the 2000 season. Detroit had long been considered underachievers under Wayne Fontes, and Ross was brought in to provide the team a more structured atmosphere. It was a challenging endeavor, as Detroit had developed somewhat of a "country club" atmosphere under Fontes' leadership, and veteran players on the roster ultimately came to resent Ross for running tougher practices, instilling weight requirements, curfews, etc. Ross sought to change the identity of the Detroit Lions, having them become a more traditional, physical, football team—less co-dependent on Barry Sanders for success.

He structured his drafts accordingly, drafting highly regarded college offensive linemen such as Stockar McDougle and Aaron Gibson, who both never panned out professionally. Ultimately, Ross was unable to change the culture in Detroit. He became frustrated at what he perceived to be the team's lack of effort, accusing them of just playing for their paychecks.[7] In November 2000, following a home loss to the Miami Dolphins, having had enough of what he called his team's unwillingness to "fight back," he resigned in mid-season.[8] Although his frustration with the Lions organization was evident, Ross later claimed that his primary reason for leaving when he did was due to blood clots in his legs.[2] Until 2011, Bobby Ross was the last Head Coach of a Detroit playoff team (1999). It is also noteworthy to mention that the 1999 Detroit team achieved the playoffs despite the unexpected retirement of Barry Sanders prior to training camp

[QSmokey]

Ross' last couple of years in Detroit...the guy looked like he was going to have a ruptured aneurysm at any moment. Face beat red, yelling and screaming; didn't he even have a 2-year run-in with Barry Sanders? Claimed he took it too easy on himself during pre-season (or something like that). I believe that Sanders retired during Ross' tenure. In fact, I found this on Wikipedia: "It was thought by some that Bobby Ross himself may have actually been the reason for his early retirement." Although it seems Sanders himself denied that. Ross was a classic example of career burn-out.

[thelightningwill]

Ross' last couple of years in Detroit...the guy looked like he was going to have a ruptured aneurysm at any moment. Face beat red, yelling and screaming; didn't he even have a 2-year run-in with Barry Sanders? Claimed he took it too easy on himself during pre-season (or something like that). I believe that Sanders retired during Ross' tenure. In fact, I found this on Wikipedia: "It was thought by some that Bobby Ross himself may have actually been the reason for his early retirement." Although it seems Sanders himself denied that. Ross was a classic example of career burn-out.

Boss Ross always looked like he was about to blow up on the Chargers sideline too. Remember when he'd have his hands on his head and he'd get tangled up in all the wires that were hanging from him?

[QSmokey]

Boss Ross always looked like he was about to blow up on the Chargers sideline too. Remember when he'd have his hands on his head and he'd get tangled up in all the wires that were hanging from him?

Yeah, more than once, if I recall correctly. Damn near strangle himself.

[thelightningwill]

Yeah, more than once, if I recall correctly. Damn near strangle himself.

Yea, I think it was pretty much every game he'd battle it out with the wires. Strange how similar Ross was to Coryell.
Both had speech impediments.
Both had no idea what was going on other than football.
Maybe it's just my fake childhood memories (I seem to have a few of these), but I remember Coryell being asked about what he thought of Reagan, and Coryell not knowing Reagan was president.

[Mister Hoarse]

Coryell was so absorbed in his game planning, he used to scrape pictures off of the walls in the hallway as he passed by.