My first day at WTMJ was October 7, 1996. Right in the middle of the Packers run to Super Bowl 31. So my first two experiences with opposing NFL Head Coaches....pretty memorable.
I'll never forget Bill "if you make the meal at least they could let you shop for the groceries" Parcells and the mess with the Patriots. Remind me to tell you more about that in the future.
But my first experience was going to Carolina to cover Dom Capers and the Panthers before they came north to take on the Packers in the NFC Championship game at Lambeau.
I came away from the experience thinking Dom Capers was one of the most straight forward, honest and upright coaches in the game. Dry as dust, but what you saw is what you get....and I wouldn't lip off to him since he was the most fit coach in the game, built like a linebacker!
His work ethic is the stuff of legend. Sleeping on a couch in his office. Putting in 17 hour work days. Even keeping a journal to track his pulse 3 times a day.
His track record? He loves the 3-4, and what Mike McCarthy loves is that he was the architect of the new Steel Curtain defense...a version that got Pittsburgh back to the Super Bowl 15 years later.
But the highs come with lows as well. He was in the top 5 in fewest points allowed in Pittsburgh, Jacksonville and Miami. But in the last 2 stops, he faded to mid or bottom of the pack. And when he was head coach in Carolina and Houston, his defenses were nearly dead last by the time he was fired.
Are you excited, or cause for concern? Emails encouraged at lallan@todaystmj4.com
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