Big Blue Huddle

https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/1852059802974683451

🏈Bill Arnsparger
🏈Tom Coughlin
🏈Mike Holmgren
🏈Chuck Knox
🏈Dan Reeves
🏈Marty Schottenheimer
🏈George Seifert
🏈Mike Shanahan
🏈Clark Shaughnessy

I'd put Shanahan and Coughlin 1 & 2. Correct me if I am wrong but they are the only ones on this list to coach 2 teams to a SB title. Coughlin was also WR coach on the 90 team. Shanahan might have additional rings as an assistant.

Quote from: TDToomer on October 31, 2024, 04:30:42 PMI'd put Shanahan and Coughlin 1 & 2. Correct me if I am wrong but they are the only ones on this list to coach 2 teams to a SB title. Coughlin was also WR coach on the 90 team. Shanahan might have additional rings as an assistant.

Seifert has two as well on top of three more as defensive coordinator under Bill Walsh. He is every bit as worthy as Coughlin and Shanahan.

Seeing Bill Arnsparger make it this far is a small shock to Giants fans of the original "Wilderness Years," but absolutely not to Miami Dolphins fans as the defensive coordinator under Don Shula and the architect of the "No-Name Defense" which helped the Dolphins achieve the "Perfect Season" in 1972. Of course, Dan Reeves is also worthy despite his Super Bowl record. I'd say he will eventually get in but the three head coaches above should get in first. Marty Schottenheimer also had logged time with the Giants, thanks to Bill Arnsparger, and laid down the footing for the Giants' defenses of the future. His biggest contribution was turning S. Carolina State Defensive End, Harry Carson, from an End to Middle Linebacker. Marty moved on to Cleveland and eventually his career took off after replacing Sam Rutigliano as head coach. Though he never made it to the Super Bowl, he turned every program he ran into a winning one.

Holmgren is also worthy as a disciple under Walsh who won a Super Bowl in Green Bay and made it to two others.

Clark Shaughnessy is in a class, all by himself, with his title the "Father of the T-formation." His coaching career was primarily in college football and his NFL experience was limited to providing consulting for the Bears' head coach, George Halas, and a couple of ordinary seasons in the late 1940s for the Los Angeles Rams. But it was his utilization of his "modified" version of the original T-formation, the one which included trick plays and such, which sent him into legend. He would be going in as a true contributer / innovator of the game itself and it is difficult to not see him get in either this time around or next season for certain.

This group of nine are all very deserving and we have to keep in mind that Coughlin, Shanahan and Reeves were on the ballot last year. I'm not sure if Holmgren was but the three made it to the semifinal round. At a minimum, one of them will get in and we know it will be either Coughlin or Shanahan. Either one is most deserving and the other will get in next year.

George Seifert will get in within the next two or three years as well.

My predictions: Shanahan/Coughlin (coin flip), Clark Shaughnessy

Peace!

Coughlin to me is a no-brainer. Two SB wins as a head coach and did incredibly well in Jacksonville starting from basically scratch there. You can make a case he was an even better coach than Parcells. I personally would not go quite that far myself, but I think the case can be made. Either way, he's a clear HOF'er.

Quote from: TDToomer on October 31, 2024, 04:30:42 PMI'd put Shanahan and Coughlin 1 & 2. Correct me if I am wrong but they are the only ones on this list to coach 2 teams to a SB title. Coughlin was also WR coach on the 90 team. Shanahan might have additional rings as an assistant.

Coughlin also took a brand new expansion team, as HC/GM, to the AFC championship twice, including their second year of existence.  On top of his achievements with the Giants I think this makes him the top choice.

I've never even heard of Clark Shaughnessy. I just don't see enough of a NFL resume here.

Quote from: TDToomer on November 01, 2024, 08:44:58 AMI've never even heard of Clark Shaughnessy. I just don't see enough of a NFL resume here.

I researched him.  He contributed a lot to the game of football in terms of innovation, but he split his time between college and the pros and spent more time coaching college.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Shaughnessy

Quote from: TDToomer on November 01, 2024, 08:44:58 AMI've never even heard of Clark Shaughnessy. I just don't see enough of a NFL resume here.

Quote from: MightyGiants on November 01, 2024, 09:16:53 AMI researched him.  He contributed a lot to the game of football in terms of innovation, but he split his time between college and the pros and spent more time coaching college.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Shaughnessy

Thank you, Rich @MightyGiants .

I thought I summarized quite well why he was a good candidate in my post above. But the Wikipedia has much on his overall career.

The key takeaway is that he revolutionized offensive formations in both the NFL and the college game via his modified version of the T-formation.

When he consulted the Bears' George Halas, before the Championship game against the Redskins, he helped the Bears install the modified T-formation for the championship game. The Bears happened to win that game 73-0.

As I stated before, he is in a class by himself in that he was a true innovator of the game and it's evolution. Because of that, he is most definitely worthy of a place in Canton. If he doesn't get in this year, I suspect next year for sure.

Peace!