Jack Del Rio imploding

Jack Del Rio, spineless faker, is once again pointing fingers at his players Photo: NY Times

You really get to see people for what they truly are when things go bad. Remember that line in The Dark Knight when Heath Ledger's Joker is interrogated by Batman? The Joker boasts, When the chips are down, these "civilized" people will eat each other. You'll see. Well, the chips are down in Jacksonville and, per usual, the idiot that run the franchise (Jack Del Rio) is pointing fingers and assessing blame rather than owning up to his own failures.

Jack Del Rio is a man who never should have been a head coach for the plain and simple reason he was never qualified. He had one season as the defensive coordinator in Carolina prior to getting the Jaguars head coaching job. That's it. One. While longtime, highly intelligent, and seasoned assistants like Ron Rivera, Jim Caldwell, Ron Meeks, Leslie Frazer, Donnie Henderson, and Gene Huey have interviewed and interviewed and interviewed again and again for job after job but told no despite impressive resumes, Del Rio gets a head coaching job after just one year of being a coordinator and after just one interview. Yep, Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver truly is one hecka equal opportunity employer.

Over at Big Cat Country, there is an excellent FanPost up by Tkopa. The story focuses on what Jack Del Rio needs to do to right the sinking ship that is the SS Jaguars. Tkopa focuses less on things like drafting better players and more on building the character of the team. It's the kind of article that is dead on the money, but often ignored because most football analysts don't like talking about character for the plain and simple reason that they lack it themselves. Tkopa makes some great points in his FanPost as to what Del Rio needs to do:

1.  Own the problem and create a great opportunity for good people.
2.  Be a shrewd and honest talent evaluator; see players from a new coach's eye.
3.  Develop a core of playmakers; bring heart back to the team.
4.  Have coaches that teach and can bring out potential.

Again, all excellent points. So, how does Jack go about doing that? Tkopa answers [emphasis mine]:

First; maintain a healthy football attitude and retain human dignity inside the organization. It is still a game and it is supposed to be fun but if the blame game and posturing starts, the ship sinks. Gary Kubiak, in my opinion, is going under as a coach because he points to others for reasons as to the team's shortcomings. Norv Turner has recently started going negative. Job loss is only a matter of time for both of them. Jack must maintain a healthy work environment and not let it grow toxic. He needs good people to respect him and want to work for him. Right now the phones are ringing as agents try to get their clients out of Jacksonville before the axe falls, while others, anticipating the axe, are trying to get their clients in. Good people only want to work for a good boss. Losers are always looking for work.

Outstanding advice. Once coaches start pointing fingers, your season is over and your franchise is circling the drain. Moron players point fingers all the time, and it is the coaches job to take those players aside and glue them to the bench until they start acting like professionals. However, when a coach starts pointing fingers at players, it is over. Time to fire the coach, blow up the team, and start over.

Sadly, Jack Del Rio is not taking Tkopa's advice. Yep, that's right. He's started blaming his players for the season sucking:

The 2008 version of the Jacksonville Jaguars are a total and utter failure; I'm sorry, but there's really no polite way to sum up the season (unless you like excuses, and then, really, you're not chopping enough wood.) But there are bound to be certain individuals, ahem, Jack Del Rio, looking for ways to shift blame in the face of decreasing job stability.

And that's exactly what he did Monday night, while, at his press conference, he called out the passing game.

"Offensively, we just have to get our passing game going. It was inept yesterday. It's clearly lagging," Del Rio said.

[...]"They load up the box and give you opportunities in the passing game. There were opportunities. I don't think the weather was a factor," Del Rio said.

[...]"It's problematic right now," said Del Rio, who spread the blame among three phases. "It's all intertwined. It's what I'm going to continue to tell you. If your receivers come open but the line doesn't allow protection, or your quarterback doesn't find (the receivers), or your receivers haven't created separation, you're going to have a problem."

Ah yes, the always dignified Jack Del Rio. Truly, a leader of men. The same Jack Del Rio that cost his team a home game against the Colts in December 2005 because he was penalized 15 yards on a key third down for berating officials. The same Jack Del Rio who blamed Byron Leftwich for the years of ineptness from the passing game; the same Byron Leftwich Jack Del Rio drafted in 2003. Now, Jack Del Rio is blaming David Garrard, the man Del Rio backed over Leftwich last year. This comes a month after Del Rio pointed the finger at his longtime starting MLBer, Mike Peterson, and benched him for talking back to Del Rio at a meeting.

Talking back? What are we in grade school again?

Look there is a reason most of the league does not like or respect Jack Del Rio. He's dumb, bombastic, and a total and complete faker. The Jaguars team has lost any and all respect for him and tuned him out. I can't say I blame them. Even longtime Jaguars veteran Fred Taylor wants out. He knows Del Rio is trash, and now wants no part of it anymore. Del Rio knows he lucked into this job, and he knows that when he loses this job, no one will offer him a head coaching job again. He's conned Wayne Weaver, who is himself a moron.

Jags fans like my friend Chris at BCC know my feeling about Del Rio. It has long been my personal hope that Jacksonville keep ole Jack because as long as he is there, it is virtually guaranteed that his team will never be better than the Colts. But, because Chris is a good guy, and because I have met and talked with so many passionate Jags fans (yes, they exist), I feel these good people deserve better than the blowhard yutz that is currently running their team. And if they can't see that now, with Del Rio desperately blaming others so he can keep his job, then they are as blind and dumb as Wayne Weaver is.

Jags fans, it is time for you to stand up and demand Del Rio be fired. Send a message to the Jags resident water carrier, Vic Ketchman. Tell him what you think. Let him relay the voice of the fan to the owner. The economy is tough, and it is time you start flexing your muscles and demanding your home team act like professionals? Why spend hundreds of dollars to see over grown babies whine and point fingers at each other. DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY! Remember, in order for players and coaches to have character, fans must display it as well. And if fans demand accountability, then the franchise must follow suit. Firing Del Rio is a good start towards building team character because Jack cannot give something to the team which he himself lacks.