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Marvin Lewis wins Coach of the Year (1 Viewer)

gianmarco

gianmarco

Footballguy
Coach of the Year

After guiding Bengals to AFC North title, Lewis named top coach

Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Marvin Lewis had much more than game plans to deal with this season.

Lewis won The Associated Press 2009 NFL Coach of the Year award for guiding his team to the playoffs during a season marked by tragedy.

For holding his team together under such circumstances and leading a turnaround from a 4-11-1 record in 2008, Lewis earned 20 1/2 votes Saturday from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league. He beat Sean Payton of New Orleans (11 1/2), Norv Turner of San Diego (9) and Jim Caldwell of Indianapolis (7). Andy Reid of Philadelphia and Ken Whisenhunt of Arizona had a single vote each.

"I'm flattered," said Lewis, whose seventh season as Bengals coach ended with a 24-14 home loss to the Jets in the wild-card round. "I never took any credibility to it, that it could occur, but I am flattered. I would trade it to still be playing.

"To me, this is more a recognition of the organization, for the coaching staff and the hard work they've done, and for the players."

Few coaches have dealt with such a season of grief. Vikki Zimmer, who used to bake treats for the players, died unexpectedly in October. Two weeks earlier, defensive linemen Jonathan Fanene and Domata Peko and rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga struggled to contact family in American Samoa after the tsunami devastated the region.

In December, wide receiver Chris Henry, on injured reserve with a broken left forearm, fell from the back of a pickup truck after an argument with his fiancee and was killed.

So Lewis was as much a therapist and psychologist for his team as he was a strategist.

"Just look at that load right there he's beared," veteran guard Bobbie Williams said. "With Chris, Vikki Zimmer, the Samoan Islands. ... There's been a lot of weight on his shoulders, and through the not-so-good seasons when it seemed like the world might have been crashing down, he's been that rock for the team and for the city. ... When you look at it, you're like, 'Dang, that's a lot, that's a lot.' But you know what? He's still there and he's still rolling and he's still coach."

And he's Coach of the Year, the first for the Bengals since the team's founder, Paul Brown, won the award in 1970.

"Our coaches did a great job of helping through those times and being there in support of Mike and his family, support of the players through the tsunami, and then with Chris' death and how that affected certain guys," Lewis said. "All that being said, I think again the credit should come to the entire group because they did this. I think we had a good group of leadership."

Those team leaders credit Lewis for changing the environment in Cincinnati. There were far fewer unchecked egos this season, and the influx of youth worked well.

"Marvin's really gotten better with gauging our team, and a lot of it is because he knows our individual players," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "He knows when to back off, he knows when to put shoulder pads on, he knows when to hold us longer for meetings, he knows when to get us out of practice earlier. And that's a head coach's main job, to get his team ready to play on Sundays."

The Bengals certainly were ready in the first half of the schedule, going 7-2 and sweeping Pittsburgh and Baltimore to take command of the division. They faltered down the stretch, losing three of their final four - all against playoff teams.

But how many teams wouldn't have struggled under all the adversity handled the Bengals?

"He knows real life," Peko said. "He was able to not only be our coach but a father and mentor to some of us."
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NFL Coach of the Year voting Coach Team Votes

Marvin Lewis Bengals 20½

Sean Payton Saints 11½

Norv Turner Chargers 9

Jim Caldwell Colts 7

Andy Reid Eagles 1

Ken Whisenhunt Cardinals 1

 
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I'm very surprised by this I didn't even think Lewis was in the conversation. 6-10 to 10-6 and getting relatively manhandled in the 1st round doesn't seem like enough in my opinion. Not to be crass, but it seems like he got the award for more off the field reasons than on the field reasons.

I thought it would be Payton with an outside chance of Caldwell.

Just for the sake of argument, if Indy doesn't rest the final 2 weeks of the year then this goes to Caldwell right?

 
travdogg said:
I'm very surprised by this I didn't even think Lewis was in the conversation. 6-10 to 10-6 and getting relatively manhandled in the 1st round doesn't seem like enough in my opinion. Not to be crass, but it seems like he got the award for more off the field reasons than on the field reasons.
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4-11-1 in 2008, to 10-6 in 2009.No need to go looking for "off the field" reasons. The guy's done a great job in a horrible situation for seven years now. Good that he finally got some credit for it.
 
He also made NFL history, as the first CotY to burn both his challenges before the first quarter ended of his first playoff game.

 
The fact that Chuck Noll, the head coach that won more SBs than anyone in history, never won the CotY tells you all you need to know about the award.

 
Whoa.... I think he's lucky to still be the coach.... He's had 7 years and hasn't even won a playoff game....

.500 record for 7 years... :)

I'm shocked he was even in the running. This was his 2nd winning season.

If he were coaching in Dallas, NY, Pitt, or a lot of other places he'd be praying for his job.

This guy is going to go from COTY to the hot season within months because if you don't make the playoffs and go far after 8 years you must have naked pictures of the owners wife or something.

 
MisfitBlondes said:
Reaper said:
Whoa.... I think he's lucky to still be the coach.... He's had 7 years and hasn't even won a playoff game.....500 record for 7 years... :thumbup: I'm shocked he was even in the running. This was his 2nd winning season.If he were coaching in Dallas, NY, Pitt, or a lot of other places he'd be praying for his job.This guy is going to go from COTY to the hot season within months because if you don't make the playoffs and go far after 8 years you must have naked pictures of the owners wife or something.
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:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: Coach of the Year is for the this season...not the past 7 years. Lewis took a team, with a losing record in 2008, to the playoffs and a division title in 2009. The Bengals also had numerous question marks to start and throughout the season.
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I get the year to year thing but, Lewis had 6 years prior and was part of the problem for the record last year - He built this thing.People had him on the hot seast last year. Heck, there's a thread considering he should be fired THIS YEAR...COTY, Whatever.
 
I just have a hard time thinking a guy deserves Coach of the Year and has (or at least had before the award) a VERY real chance of being fired. This award may seriously have saved his job.

Honestly, has there ever been a COTY that was fired in the same season? Very real possibility this year. And, a big reason why I don't think he deserved it over some others.

 
Fear & Loathing said:
gianmarco said:
I just have a hard time thinking a guy deserves Coach of the Year and has (or at least had before the award) a VERY real chance of being fired. This award may seriously have saved his job.
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This isn't true in the least.
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:) There is ZERO chance of Marvin being fired.And congrats to Marvin :pickle: I think he deserved it, though Payton and Norv certainly were worthy of the award this season (and really the only other two worthy of the award) as well and I wouldn't have minded if either of them had won it.-QG
 
4-6 outside of the AFCN.

Maybe it can be argued he got his guys up for the big games and is therefore deserving.

Pretty mediocre selection IMO though. Okay coach historically, bad situation, decent record, 1 and done in the playoffs.

Just underwhelming.

I think the Zimmer and Henry's losses swayed the voters too much.

I'd put him 3rd behind Norv and Payton, albeit a distant third.

 
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Godsbrother said:
The fact that Chuck Noll, the head coach that won more SBs than anyone in history, never won the CotY tells you all you need to know about the award.
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Definitely. The criteria that people vote on is way out of whack. It doesn't go to the best coach of the year, it goes to the coach that outperformed expectations the most... and the big problem is that the winner is always a guy no one expected anything from. If people expect the Colts to go 12-4, and instead they go 14-2, then they barely outperformed expectations... but come on, they had 14 wins! That's one hell of a coaching job, whatever the expectations were in the first place.CotY is naturally biased in favor of mediocre-to-bad coaches at the expense of great coaches simply because the expectations are always lower to begin with. The only time a great coach has a chance at winning the award is if he either isn't considered a great coach yet (Belichick in 2003), or he takes over a rebuilding franchise (which is how Schottenheimer and Parcells each managed to accumulate 3 CotY awards), or he does something truly exceptional (Belichick in 2007). Outside of that, the award is going to go to a guy who's destined to be the answer to a trivia question in 10 years. For instance, consider the following list of guys who have won the one CotY award or another since 1990: Art Shell, Bobby Ross, Wayne Fontes, Ray Rhodes, Dom Capers, Jim Fassel, Jim Haslett, **** Jauron, and Lovie Smith. Seriously, all of those guys are former CotY winners. I'm not making it up. If this list doesn't convince people that the process is flawed, then I don't know what will. Does anyone really believe that **** Jauron was EVER the best coach in the NFL?
 
treat88 said:
4-6 outside of the AFCN.

Maybe it can be argued he got his guys up for the big games and is therefore deserving.

Pretty mediocre selection IMO though. Okay coach historically, bad situation, decent record, 1 and done in the playoffs.

Just underwhelming.



I think the Zimmer and Henry's losses swayed the voters too much.

I'd put him 3rd behind Norv and Payton, albeit a distant third.
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I hate to say this, but I think you're right. And I don't feel particularly warm and fuzzy pointing it out, but after Henry's death the Bengals went 1-3 with the only win being an entirely uninspired 7-point home victory over the Chiefs.
 
The simple question is:

Would you have ever said the Bengals sweep the division, finish 1st in the division at 10-6 ahead of the DEFENDING Super Bowl champs? I doubt it.

You could see the Saints doing what they did, and the Chargers were good last year as well. If Colts go 16-0 then Caldwell gets the award,

 
PolishNorbi said:
The simple question is:Would you have ever said the Bengals sweep the division, finish 1st in the division at 10-6 ahead of the DEFENDING Super Bowl champs? I doubt it. You could see the Saints doing what they did, and the Chargers were good last year as well. If Colts go 16-0 then Caldwell gets the award,
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Would you have ever said the Broncos would field a top 10 defense, open 6-0, then go 2-8 the rest of the way? Or that the Raiders would beat an 11-5 team, a 10-6 team, the defending world champs, and the Broncos on the road? Or that the Texans would end the season on a 4-game winning streak, post a winning record, and finish a game ahead of the Titans?It doesn't matter how improbable a sequence of events seemed before the season. What matters is that the Bengals were a 10-6 team with a +14 point differential. Is anyone really all that shocked that the Bengals, who had a 48% winning percentage under Lewis, would manage to pull off a thoroughly uninspiring 10-6 finish? And even if people are surprised, does that mean that Lewis really did a better coaching job than Caldwell, Peyton, Turner, or Childress?
 
SSOG said:
PolishNorbi said:
The simple question is:Would you have ever said the Bengals sweep the division, finish 1st in the division at 10-6 ahead of the DEFENDING Super Bowl champs? I doubt it. You could see the Saints doing what they did, and the Chargers were good last year as well. If Colts go 16-0 then Caldwell gets the award,
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Would you have ever said the Broncos would field a top 10 defense, open 6-0, then go 2-8 the rest of the way? Or that the Raiders would beat an 11-5 team, a 10-6 team, the defending world champs, and the Broncos on the road? Or that the Texans would end the season on a 4-game winning streak, post a winning record, and finish a game ahead of the Titans?
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Actually, I would have believed all of your scenarios before I would have believed that the Bengals would sweep the division.
 
SSOG said:
Godsbrother said:
The fact that Chuck Noll, the head coach that won more SBs than anyone in history, never won the CotY tells you all you need to know about the award.
Click to expand...
Definitely. The criteria that people vote on is way out of whack. It doesn't go to the best coach of the year, it goes to the coach that outperformed expectations the most... and the big problem is that the winner is always a guy no one expected anything from. If people expect the Colts to go 12-4, and instead they go 14-2, then they barely outperformed expectations... but come on, they had 14 wins! That's one hell of a coaching job, whatever the expectations were in the first place.CotY is naturally biased in favor of mediocre-to-bad coaches at the expense of great coaches simply because the expectations are always lower to begin with. The only time a great coach has a chance at winning the award is if he either isn't considered a great coach yet (Belichick in 2003), or he takes over a rebuilding franchise (which is how Schottenheimer and Parcells each managed to accumulate 3 CotY awards), or he does something truly exceptional (Belichick in 2007). Outside of that, the award is going to go to a guy who's destined to be the answer to a trivia question in 10 years. For instance, consider the following list of guys who have won the one CotY award or another since 1990: Art Shell, Bobby Ross, Wayne Fontes, Ray Rhodes, Dom Capers, Jim Fassel, Jim Haslett, **** Jauron, and Lovie Smith. Seriously, all of those guys are former CotY winners. I'm not making it up. If this list doesn't convince people that the process is flawed, then I don't know what will. Does anyone really believe that **** Jauron was EVER the best coach in the NFL?
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WOW :thumbup: ;) :goodposting: Gotta say I never knew this award was so meaningless.

 
I guess the issue at hand is that it's hard to evaluate how well a coach does in a given year apart from the talent they have on their roster? I mean we all know that the Colts are loaded with talent, so is the reason they won 14 games because of that or because of the coaching? Did the Bengals win 10 games because Marvin Lewis pulled together a bunch of bums and coached his brains out, or did they players just get better?

I would probably doubt that Marvin Lewis is the best coach in the league this year, but I could see how when voters try to figure out how good of a coaching job a coach did in the current year they look at what he did with the talent he was given. A flawed way to cast that vote, but I guess it's kinda hard to make the right vote with something as subjective as coaching (at least it's subjective to an outsider making an evaluation).

 
Belichick gets no love? The guy cobbled together a team that took one of the tougher divisions in football. He should have at least been in the discussion.

 
SSOG said:
For instance, consider the following list of guys who have won the one CotY award or another since 1990: Art Shell, Bobby Ross, Wayne Fontes, Ray Rhodes, Dom Capers, Jim Fassel, Jim Haslett, **** Jauron, and Lovie Smith. Seriously, all of those guys are former CotY winners. I'm not making it up. If this list doesn't convince people that the process is flawed, then I don't know what will. Does anyone really believe that **** Jauron was EVER the best coach in the NFL?
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Also forgot to mention that Lindy Infante was named CotY in '89.
 
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Let's not forget a few things.

1) This team could have folded after the Immaculate Deflection loss to Denver opening day. They did not. They went to GB and TCB the next week.

2) Three key players were from Samoa and they had to deal with tragedy early in the season. Some did not know the fates of their families for almost a week.

3) His DC's wife died mid-week of one of the biggest games of season

4) He lost one of his top WRs to season ending injury and then died in the middle of the season.

Lewis held together a locker room that could have crumbled at any time to beat the defending champs twice and sweep one of the better divisions in the NFL. Lewis is not a great coach, but he did a great job this year and should be recognized.

 
SSOG said:
SSOG said:
For instance, consider the following list of guys who have won the one CotY award or another since 1990: Art Shell, Bobby Ross, Wayne Fontes, Ray Rhodes, Dom Capers, Jim Fassel, Jim Haslett, **** Jauron, and Lovie Smith. Seriously, all of those guys are former CotY winners. I'm not making it up. If this list doesn't convince people that the process is flawed, then I don't know what will. Does anyone really believe that **** Jauron was EVER the best coach in the NFL?
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Also forgot to mention that Lindy Infante was named CotY in '89.
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Yes. It's a fine award, but it's just misnamed. It should be called The Award For the Coach Whose Team Sucked Less Than We Thought It Would This Year.
 
Doug Drinen said:
SSOG said:
SSOG said:
For instance, consider the following list of guys who have won the one CotY award or another since 1990: Art Shell, Bobby Ross, Wayne Fontes, Ray Rhodes, Dom Capers, Jim Fassel, Jim Haslett, **** Jauron, and Lovie Smith. Seriously, all of those guys are former CotY winners. I'm not making it up. If this list doesn't convince people that the process is flawed, then I don't know what will. Does anyone really believe that **** Jauron was EVER the best coach in the NFL?
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Also forgot to mention that Lindy Infante was named CotY in '89.
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Yes. It's a fine award, but it's just misnamed. It should be called The Award For the Coach Whose Team Sucked Less Than We Thought It Would This Year.
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That's another truth that the NFL can't handle. :shrug:
 
knowledge dropper said:
Let's not forget a few things.1) This team could have folded after the Immaculate Deflection loss to Denver opening day. They did not. They went to GB and TCB the next week.2) Three key players were from Samoa and they had to deal with tragedy early in the season. Some did not know the fates of their families for almost a week.3) His DC's wife died mid-week of one of the biggest games of season4) He lost one of his top WRs to season ending injury and then died in the middle of the season.Lewis held together a locker room that could have crumbled at any time to beat the defending champs twice and sweep one of the better divisions in the NFL. Lewis is not a great coach, but he did a great job this year and should be recognized.
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TCB?
 
Chase Stuart said:
knowledge dropper said:
Let's not forget a few things.1) This team could have folded after the Immaculate Deflection loss to Denver opening day. They did not. They went to GB and TCB the next week.2) Three key players were from Samoa and they had to deal with tragedy early in the season. Some did not know the fates of their families for almost a week.3) His DC's wife died mid-week of one of the biggest games of season4) He lost one of his top WRs to season ending injury and then died in the middle of the season.Lewis held together a locker room that could have crumbled at any time to beat the defending champs twice and sweep one of the better divisions in the NFL. Lewis is not a great coach, but he did a great job this year and should be recognized.
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TCB?
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Took care of (Green) Bay, er I mean Business.-QG
 
QuizGuy66 said:
Chase Stuart said:
knowledge dropper said:
Let's not forget a few things.1) This team could have folded after the Immaculate Deflection loss to Denver opening day. They did not. They went to GB and TCB the next week.2) Three key players were from Samoa and they had to deal with tragedy early in the season. Some did not know the fates of their families for almost a week.3) His DC's wife died mid-week of one of the biggest games of season4) He lost one of his top WRs to season ending injury and then died in the middle of the season.Lewis held together a locker room that could have crumbled at any time to beat the defending champs twice and sweep one of the better divisions in the NFL. Lewis is not a great coach, but he did a great job this year and should be recognized.
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TCB?
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Took care of (Green) Bay, er I mean Business.
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Thank you. Thank you very much.
 
QuizGuy66 said:
gianmarco said:
PewterFan said:
ThePittbully said:
Payton should have won, period.
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Says the Saints fan after the day that New Orleans won a playoff game. This is a regular season award and the Saints lost to the Bucs. The Bucs.
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It is a regular season award and the Bengals lost to the Raiders. The Raiders.
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And the Saints lost to the Bucs. The Bucs.-QG
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And the Bengals lost to the Raiders. The Raiders.-GM
 
I think this was a classic "no one else really stood out much this year" award (though I thought it should have gone to Payton). Caldwell had a shot, but that weak crap he pulled against the Jets automatically disqualified him, IMO.

 
The Real Coach of the Year? He is someone who also won this years MVP

Payton manning, your 2009 NFL Coach of the Year.

Seriously, jim Caldwell has the easiest job in America

 
I must have been the only non-Bengals fan in this thread that watched Hard Knocks this year. If you would of told me the Friday before week 1 that the Bengals would go 10-6, sweep the AFC North and win their division, I would of called you crazy.

And if you would of told me the same thing after they lost at home to the Broncos on that miraculous play at home to Denver to open the season, I would of thought you were even crazier.

And if you would of read me Carson Palmers season statline and told me the same thing, I would of had you commited.

To me, it's pretty GD amazing that this Bengals team transformed their identity into a power running team with a bunch of no name olinemen, the furious running of Cedric Benson, and a stingy opportunistic defense.

Once Caldwell basically DQed himself from the race in week 16, and the Saints collapsed at the end of the season which included a loss to Tampa and a fluke win over a Redskins mash unit, this was a one horse race, imo.

 
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Dexter Manley said:
I must have been the only non-Bengals fan in this thread that watched Hard Knocks this year. If you would of told me the Friday before week 1 that the Bengals would go 10-6, sweep the AFC North and win their division, I would of called you crazy. And if you would of told me the same thing after they lost at home to the Broncos on that miraculous play at home to Denver to open the season, I would of thought you were even crazier.And if you would of read me Carson Palmers season statline and told me the same thing, I would of had you commited.To me, it's pretty GD amazing that this Bengals team transformed their identity into a power running team with a bunch of no name olinemen, the furious running of Cedric Benson, and a stingy opportunistic defense. Once Caldwell basically DQed himself from the race in week 16, and the Saints collapsed at the end of the season which included a loss to Tampa and a fluke win over a Redskins mash unit, this was a one horse race, imo.
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Doug Drinen said:
Yes. It's a fine award, but it's just misnamed. It should be called The Award For the Coach Whose Team Sucked Less Than We Thought It Would This Year.
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:goodposting:
 
Reaper said:
Whoa.... I think he's lucky to still be the coach.... He's had 7 years and hasn't even won a playoff game.....500 record for 7 years... :blackdot: I'm shocked he was even in the running. This was his 2nd winning season.If he were coaching in Dallas, NY, Pitt, or a lot of other places he'd be praying for his job.This guy is going to go from COTY to the hot seat within months because if you don't make the playoffs and go far after 8 years you must have naked pictures of the owners wife or something.
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Did he REALLY win?He must be done now, no?Or does Cincy rally to an ok season and gets another award?
 
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Nice call! I was a bit shocked he won last year as well. I thought a lot of games they won was due to luck. After seeing the TO show on offense with lack of in game adjustments, I must say he is horrible! If you look at TOs stats, when averaged 55 YPG in two games they win! What does that mean Marvin? Run and spread the ball, make other teams guess you idiot!! Fire that clown!

Reaper said:
Reaper said:
Whoa.... I think he's lucky to still be the coach.... He's had 7 years and hasn't even won a playoff game.....500 record for 7 years... :goodposting: I'm shocked he was even in the running. This was his 2nd winning season.If he were coaching in Dallas, NY, Pitt, or a lot of other places he'd be praying for his job.This guy is going to go from COTY to the hot season within months because if you don't make the playoffs and go far after 8 years you must have naked pictures of the owners wife or something.
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Did he REALLY win?He must be done now, no?Or does Cincy rally to an ok season and gets another award?
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FarEastKilla said:
Nice call! I was a bit shocked he won last year as well. I thought a lot of games they won was due to luck. After seeing the TO show on offense with lack of in game adjustments, I must say he is horrible! If you look at TOs stats, when averaged 55 YPG in two games they win! What does that mean Marvin? Run and spread the ball, make other teams guess you idiot!! Fire that clown!
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That clown as in Bratkowski? Yes certainly he should be fired. Marvin should probably win COY every year as he has to deal with the worst owner in all the land. It will be with mixed emotions when I watch Marvin lead another team to the promised land.-QG
 
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