One of the “bonehead” coaches I had in mind when I wrote my “preface” to this season’s projections was Norv Turner, architect of the Panthers’ loss on Thursday night. A proven loser as a coach, he has nevertheless found employment with 8 different teams, based unquestionably on memories of “his” erstwhile success with Jimmy Johnson’s Cowboys more than 25 years ago! Calling offensive plays through the fog his brain is enveloped by, he absolutely nailed the Panthers’ loss last night, with his call of a trick run on a 4[SUP]th[/SUP] and inches on the 2 yard line that had no hope of succeeding. This is a man who stubbornly persists in strategies which haven’t worked in decades, who blunders repeatedly by forgetting what his team’s strengths are; yet, never fails to find forgiveness by the legion of fellow bonehead GMs and head coaches who hire him – over and over again. What I find frustrating, as a numbers guy, is that last night the better team lost, and it’s down to a variable I can’t effectively measure.
