Dumpsville:Jaguars fire Del Rio, announce sale of team
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northside7
Members Posts: 25,739 ✭✭✭✭✭
Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver announced Tuesday that coach Jack Del Rio has been fired and that he is selling the team to businessman Shahid Khan, who will keep the team in Jacksonville.
Khan, who lives in Illinois, was born in Pakistan in 1950 and moved to the United States when he was 16. Weaver said Khan plans to buy a home in Jacksonville. The sale must be approved by the NFL's 32 owners.
Weaver said there is no signed agreement that Khan has to keep the team in Jacksonville but he said he was comfortable agreeing to the sale because Khan "has a passion" for the area. "I've had calls from California that I've refused to take," Weaver said of other potential buyers.
Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker will coach Jacksonville on an interim basis and has been told he will get a chance to interview for the full-time job, Weaver said.
Also, general manager Gene Smith received an extension, Weaver said. A source told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that Smith's extension is for three years.
The Jaguars are 3-8 heading into a Monday night game against the San Diego Chargers.
Del Rio was the second head coach in the team's short history, replacing Tom Coughlin in 2003. He finishes his Jags career with a 68-71 record, last leading the team to a winning record in 2007 when it was 11-5. His teams were 1-2 in postseason play.
Weaver retained Del Rio after last season when Jacksonville finished 8-8, but made it clear that the coach needed to reach the postseason in 2011 to keep his job.
"If we're not in the playoffs, it's pretty apparent we'll have a different coach," Weaver said in January.
Weaver refused to give contract extensions to Del Rio's assistants, putting everyone on alert that this was a win-or-else season.
Del Rio refused to let offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and linebackers coach Mark Duffner interview for lateral positions. He couldn't stop quarterbacks coach Mike Shula, whose contract ended, and receivers coach Todd Monken, who returned to a college job at Oklahoma State, from bolting.
Given the situation, the pool of coaches wanting to come to Jacksonville was small, so Del Rio had few options while rebuilding his staff. Del Rio hinted this season that his hands were tied in terms of what he could do to assemble the best staff.
Fans have been clamoring for his departure for years, with many calling for him to be fired following a 5-11 finish in 2008. Instead, Weaver parted ways with personnel chief James "Shack" Harris and hired Smith as general manager.
Smith has rebuilt the roster over the last three years, but the Jaguars have shown no progress under Del Rio's leadership.
Del Rio's tenure will be remembered for putting an ax and a wooden stump in the locker room in 2003, settling up a situation in which punter Chris Hanson hacked into his leg, and for repeatedly failing to properly handle quarterback situations.
He announced he was benching Mark Brunell and giving rookie Byron Leftwich the job in 2003 before talking to the players. He insisted Leftwich was his starter in 2007, and then cut him days before the season opener. He did the same thing to David Garrard this season, cutting him five days before the opener and naming Luke McCown the starter.
McCown was benched after two games.
The Jaguars have been inept most of the season with Blaine Gabbert under center. The 10th overall pick in April's draft has been rattled under pressure and inaccurate on short throws, and doesn't appear to be making much progress.
Del Rio said Monday he was sticking with the rookie. It turned out to be the coach's final decision in Jacksonville.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7293624/jacksonville-jaguars-fire-longtime-coach-jack-del-rio-sell-team
Its about damn time. I would like to see Mel Tucker get the Head coach position. The defense is ranked in the top 5 right now in the league, the man is doing something right. And it will be good to see another brotha coaching in the NFL.
Your team aint safe, they're coming for your team. Hide your owners!
Comments
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J-ville is a very pretty place to stay. I love the area. Everytime I go I hit the beach. The thing is that is all that they have. other than that J-ville is a big Pensacola. But in the end that aint bad. But it aint great.
J-ville needs more fortune 500 companies to help out with corporate sponsorship. Damn shame Orlando has all that money there and J-ville cant get any of it to help keep that team there. -
Move the team to Oklahoma City... that state and town loves its football
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Move the team to Oklahoma City... that state and town loves its football
? that state and town..
If they do move, it's to L.A. -
northside7 wrote: »? that state and town..
If they do move, it's to L.A.
smh LA wont support that team... OKlahoma Would... -
J-ville is a very pretty place to stay. I love the area. Everytime I go I hit the beach. The thing is that is all that they have. other than that J-ville is a big Pensacola. But in the end that aint bad. But it aint great.
J-ville needs more fortune 500 companies to help out with corporate sponsorship. Damn shame Orlando has all that money there and J-ville cant get any of it to help keep that team there.
Can that really be used as an excuse? It seems that most of the residents of Jacksonville don't even care for the team. -
smh LA wont support that team... OKlahoma Would...
If not LA then they need to go north of the border. They would be welcomed with open arms.. -
northside7 wrote: »Can that really be used as an excuse? It seems that most of the residents of Jacksonville don't even care for the team.
winning solves that but Jacksonville also has been ran horribly ! They're not winning which would help sell tickets and then they dont make any P.R. moves. They drafting unknown college players and giving out big contracts to middle level/garbage players(jerry porter,) who dont sell tickets. I give the citizens of J-VILLE 35% of the blam but the rest to the owner and managers. I dont want to watch them play right now either -
rap doctor wrote: »winning solves that but Jacksonville also has been ran horribly ! They're not winning which would help sell tickets and then they dont make any P.R. moves. They drafting unknown college players. I give the citizens of J-VILLE 35% of the blam but the rest to the owner and managers. I dont want to watch them play right now either
The defense is playing at a high level, top 5 in the league.If Garrard was healthy and didn't get cut, we would be in contention for a playoff spot..
I understand why u don't wanna watch, the offense is terrible with MJD being the only bright spot.
The WRs need to do what their paid for, catching the ball. And Gabbert has to grow a set.. -
Omaha Nebraska needs a football team.
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Move the team to Oklahoma City... that state and town loves its football
They love college football. I can name twenty more city that can support a football team with corporate money and fanbase over OKC.
Are they even at a million people yet?
In the end, LA needs a team. There is too much money out there to not be made.
Funny thing is hollywood dont support pro football teams but they love to make movies about them. -
northside7 wrote: »Can that really be used as an excuse? It seems that most of the residents of Jacksonville don't even care for the team.
Why would they? Look at the last few drafts and they are getting players from WKU, Murray State, Cal, Mizzou, etc etc.
Jville is a college football town so draft some big name players...or at least one a draft. Give the fans something to be excited about.
Perfect example....u have a kid who's from Jville in Tim Tebow, won in HS and college.....however they draft Blaine Gabbert...the worst QB in the NFL.
and change those ugly cotdamn colors -
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They would have money and wins
had they just drafted Tebow like we told them to. -
Why would they? Look at the last few drafts and they are getting players from WKU, Murray State, Cal, Mizzou, etc etc.
Jville is a college football town so draft some big name players...or at least one a draft. Give the fans something to be excited about.
Perfect example....u have a kid who's from Jville in Tim Tebow, won in HS and college.....however they draft Blaine Gabbert...the worst QB in the NFL.
and change those ugly cotdamn colors
The worst QB in the league? No. Gabbert has to man up and not be shook.
? Tebow, the offense would be 100 times worse if he was the QB. -
northside7 wrote: »If not LA then they need to go north of the border. They would be welcomed with open arms..
............................. -
Move the team to Oklahoma City... that state and town loves its football
Real ? .
The first NFL owner to figure this out will make a killing. The Sonics ownership did their research and now they stacking paper like they selling Blu Magic. It ain't about simpleton ? like population (anybody ever heard of the Green Bay Packers or Buffalo Bills?) or "notoriety".
It's all about how and when that city can build a new stadium and sell tickets.
The only REAL thing holding OKC back from a nfl squad is its location -- it's right smack in between two franchises with storied and loyal fanbases (cowboys and Chiefs). Most pro football fans in OK are either Cowboys fans or Chiefs fans and a OKC team would have to work extra hard to pry them away.
The NFL is looking at expansion from a territorial standpoint and OKC is already cowboy/chief land.
One of the main reasons Carolina and Jax got teams is because they were in "open" territory where it would be easy to grow a fan base givin that the closest teams were the Falcons and Dolphins, neither of which have strong fanbases.
Class dismissed. -
greenwood1921 wrote: »Real ? .
The first NFL owner to figure this out will make a killing. The Sonics ownership did their research and now they stacking paper like they selling Blu Magic. It ain't about simpleton ? like population (anybody ever heard of the Green Bay Packers or Buffalo Bills?) or "notoriety".
It's all about how and when that city can build a new stadium and sell tickets.
The only REAL thing holding OKC back from a nfl squad is its location -- it's right smack in between two franchises with storied and loyal fanbases (cowboys and Chiefs). Most pro football fans in OK are either Cowboys fans or Chiefs fans and a OKC team would have to work extra hard to pry them away.
The NFL is looking at expansion from a territorial standpoint and OKC is already cowboy/chief land.
One of the main reasons Carolina and Jax got teams is because they were in "open" territory where it would be easy to grow a fan base givin that the closest teams were the Falcons and Dolphins, neither of which have strong fanbases.
Class dismissed.
Hol up. So how did u become a filthy birds fan? -
northside7 wrote: »Hol up. So how did u become a filthy birds fan?
1. Never liked the cowgirls.
2. Never respected bandwagoning.
3. Spent most of my childhood summers in ATL.
And went to my first 5 NFL games @ the GA Dome.
4. Lived in the A from 1999 to 2010 and headed back as soon as possible.
5. Neion Deion and Bad Moon.
The rest is history.
Now how the ? did a Canuck become a jags fan???? lol -
greenwood1921 wrote: »1. Never liked the cowgirls.
2. Never respected bandwagoning.
3. Spent most of my childhood summers in ATL.
And went to my first 5 NFL games @ the GA Dome.
4. Lived in the A from 1999 to 2010 and headed back as soon as possible.
5. Neion Deion and Bad Moon.
The rest is history.
Now how the ? did a Canuck become a jags fan???? lol
Fully agree with the bold.
My pops always watched the NFL, not that joke that is the cfl. I watched what he watched. Hella bandwagon cowgirls fans up here in the 90s, they have now mysteriously disappeared.
Became a jags fan back in 04, I was watching the jags vs. packers. I'll never forget that hit Donavan Darius put on one of the packers WR, dude had to be carted off the field. The jags were a hard hitting team that had no problem playing in the cold weather, as they are a Florida team. Been a fan since and will always be, I signed with blood.
People here in the T Dot ask me the something lol -
northside7 wrote: »The worst QB in the league? No. Gabbert has to man up and not be shook.
? Tebow, the offense would be 100 times worse if he was the QB.
But yall would win games tho. -
Meet The Sniper wrote: »They would have money and wins
had they just drafted Tebow like we told them to.
negative . . .
this just brought back memories of the good times lolnorthside7 wrote: »Fully agree with the bold.
My pops always watched the NFL, not that joke that is the cfl. I watched what he watched. Hella bandwagon cowgirls fans up here in the 90s, they have now mysteriously disappeared.
Became a jags fan back in 04, I was watching the jags vs. packers. I'll never forget that hit Donavan Darius put on one of the packers WR, dude had to be carted off the field. The jags were a hard hitting team that had no problem playing in the cold weather, as they are a Florida team. Been a fan since and will always be, I signed with blood.
People here in the T Dot ask me the something lol -
*yawn*
and this is news because??? ? was just delaying the inevitable -
Meet The Sniper wrote: »But yall would win games tho.
Thats not guaranteed tho.*yawn*
and this is news because??? ? was just delaying the inevitable
Anytime a coach gets fired, it's news.
Also the team being sold wasn't something that was known.. -
Los Angeles Awaits Thee.... Muhahahahaha *evil laugh
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Places that could support a football team (even though I believe that J-ville should keep the Jags):
San Antonio
Toronto (May end up getting the Bills)
Vancouver
Portland (has soccer and basketball, why not football)
Las Vegas (will never happen but they can dream)
Memphis (build the stadium in West Memphis)
Orlando (They already have a stadium)
Tidewater area(Norfolk, Va Beach, Hampton) just like J-ville
We already know about Los Angeles.
Almost forgot about Salt Lake City, Utah.
