Corpus Christi Online - / Why no one wants to hire Sherm Lewis

Marketplace \| Services \| Contact Us \| Community \| Arts & Leisure \| Local Guides

Sunday, Jan. 17, 1999
Why no one wants to hire Sherm Lewis

   Always The Candidate but never The Winner, Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Sherm Lewis can't seem to buck the fact that nobody wants to hire him.
   Dallas, Green Bay, San Francisco and New England are just a few of the many teams that have considered Lewis to be a candidate for their teams before changing directions and ultimately deciding Lewis didn't fit their strict and often mysterious head coaching criteria.
   Their reasons for doing so are seldom known. Some say it's racial discrimination because Lewis is black, always was, always will be and therefore -- according to them -- might never get hired to be an NFL head coach.
   While in some of these cases this theory may be true, the real reason might be even more obvious than Lewis' skin color.
   Call it the puppet-on-a-stick syndrome. Though Lewis is largely considered smart, innovative and deeply experienced, the truth remains that Lewis doesn't really do anything except attend meetings, hold a clipboard and wear a headset.
   He never became the play-caller of his team during his 17 years of service as an offensive coach at Green Bay and San Francisco. Owners and general managers usually like to hire coaches that at least seem like they're doing something besides holding a big title. Truth is, Lewis never had a chance to do that because he always seemed to find himself working under brilliant strategists like Mike Holmgren and Bill Walsh. Tough break, but it makes sense. It also seems to explain why at least one of his former subordinates got hired as head coach last year. The Oakland Raiders hired former Lewis field hand Jon Gruden because he had gained experience calling plays at Philadelphia. The Eagles then hired former Packers quarterbacks coach Andy Reid last week because, well, there only seems to one possible explanation -- Reid had to have owned a more hands-on role in play-calling than Lewis in Green Bay. Any other reason -- besides race -- just doesn't add up.
   The same puppet theory applies to Denver Broncos coordinator Gary Kubiak. For all intents and purposes, Kubiak is to head coach Mike Shanahan what George Bush was to Ronald Reagan. Maybe he gives his input to his boss sometimes, but his role is largely symbolic and subject to veto. Kubiak won't get an NFL head coaching job for that reason, either, and he probably isn't even yet suited to become the new head coach at the University of Colorado, the job he's set to take on Monday or Tuesday (He has zero experience evaluating and recruiting high school talent).
   Hope remains for Lewis, though. With Ray Rhodes being the new head coach of the Packers, it would seem that Lewis will get to call his team's plays next season. If the Packers do well, Lewis finally might get his long-awaited chance to make it.
   COUNTDOWN TO COLLEGE HOOPS: Division I South Texas basketball fans are less than 11 months away from tipoff time at Memorial Coliseum. The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's and women's basketball teams each will begin play in November after putting the final touches on their inaugural season schedules sometime in the next few weeks.
   The men's team needs just three opponents to complete its 30-game schedule, according to coach Ronnie Arrow. At least two dates have been confirmed with independent Centenary College of Louisiana: a Jan. 29 men's game in Shreveport, La., and a Feb. 12 men's game at home. As independent teams playing without a conference base next season, both the men's and women's teams also are expected to play home-and-home arrangements with at least two other national Division I independents: Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., and the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg. Centenary is the alma mater of former Boston Celtics center Robert Parish.
   MINNESOTA'S SOUTH TEXANS: Minnesota Vikings All-Pro defensive lineman John Randle is the team's only remaining player with ties to Texas A&M-Kingsville. Former Javelinas defensive back Anthony Phillips had been on the team throughout the year but was released by the Vikings last month near the end of the regular season. Randle had made 107 straight starts for the Vikings but is not expected to start in today's NFC championship game against Atlanta because of a knee injury. Another South Texan, team owner Red McCombs, attended Del Mar College.
   BRAZZELL STILL ABOARD JETS: Former Alice High School football player Chris Brazzell has spent the entire season on the practice squad of the New York Jets. A wide receiver from Angelo State University, Brazzell was signed by the Jets on July 5. The Jets play the Denver Broncos in today's AFC championship game.
   Brent Schrotenboer can be reached at 886-3615 or through e-mail at schrotenboerb@scripps.com. He also can be heard every Wednesday between 8-9 a.m. on KCCT-AM 1150.

Post your comments on this story in our forums.