Should AJ Smith (Chargers GM) be fired?

Question

He fired a coach that took them to a 14-2 record, let Cam Cameron and Wade Phillips escape for other teams, and now has a team at 1-2 with no answers on how to fix the problem. Should AJ Smith take the heat for the turmoil filled off-season in letting all three main coaches leave, and change into a new system that is not producing?

The defensive coordinator to blame? If AJ Smith had of acted sooner he'd still have last year's coordinator that helped make them one of the best defenses out there. Shouldn't AJ Smith be blamed for that loss?

Also when the best running back in the league has only 130 yds in three games, the offensive system is failing.

Answer 1

It was not wise for Mr. Smith to fire his winning coach due to pride and the power stuggle. Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Mr. Smith hired a man he could control. We have seen pride in the gm's office destroy the Bulls, the Lakers, the Cowboys (Jimmy Johnson)and it nearly destroyed the Boston Red Sox but their organiaztion had the wisdom to bring their GM back. Mr. Smith selected the team but he should have allowed the coach to coach the team. His irrational excuse for firing the coach was that the coach was losing his assistants. That was a smokescreen because the assitance left to get head coaching positions. They were promoted. So Mr. Smith has showed us why organizations like the New England win Superbowl after Superbowl. Mr. Smith had the opportunity but his ego would not allow that to manifest. Now his his legecy will be tarnished.

Answer 2

I think it's a bit disingenuous to say that he "let Cam Cameron and Wade Phillips escape for (sic) other teams." Those guys LEFT to other teams because they were offered head coaching jobs. It's unfair to blame Smith because they left.

Secondly, it isn't true that the Chargers have made any "change into a new system." The new coaches have kept the same systems as last year on both sides of the ball.

Personally, I don't think Marty was a big loss. I think Cameron and Phillips were the big losses. Marty didn't call plays, he didn't design the system, he didn't really do much at all. Cameron and Phillips were the important coaches, and as I already stated, you can't blame Smith for their departures. I think this is why Smith fired Marty; Marty really didn't do that much because he delegated all important tasks to his assistants, who had already left the organization for head coaching jobs elsewhere.

You'd be a moron to fire Smith. He's the man who traded Eli Manning for Shawne Merriman and Philip Rivers. There would be no expectations for the Chargers to play well without Smith making smart decisions to get one of the most talented rosters in the league. The expectations for the Chargers would probably be lower than the expectations for the Raiders if the Chargers didn't have Smith.

Note: it was actually Smith's deceased mentor, John Butler, who traded Michael Vick for LaDanian Tomlinson and other players.

Answer 3

Actually, AJ Smith wasn't responsible for Schottenheimer's firing, the Spanos family (the family that owns the Chargers) were the ones that fired him. Sure, they basically had to make a choice between the two, but AJ Smith wasn't the one really responsible for it.

Besides, if the Spanos had to make a choice between the two they would had to weigh the accomplishments of the two, and Smith's accomplishments really outweighs Schottenheimer's. He was responsible for drafting Ladanian Tomlinson, Drew Breez, Shawn Merriman, Philip Rivers, Quentin Jammer, and to a lesser extent Tim Dwight and Stephen Alexander. More importantly, he had the sense or at least the luck to pass on the likes of Eli Manning and Michael Vick. Schottenheimer, as good of a coach as he is, never got the Chargers pass a playoff game. If you have to weigh the importance of the two by these merits alone then you really have no choice but to pick Smith over Schottenheimer.

And besides, it's only been three games into the season. Their two loses were to a recharged Patriots team and a Brett Favre team that has been on fire sense the season started. And this is all under a new coaching staff and a new system. I don't really fault them for being 1-2 at this point. People put too much credence into the season that they had last year and expect them to be just as explosive this year, which is rare. Let's see how they do by week 8 before we pass sentence on this team.

Answer 4

It is a bit early to pull the trigget on anybody in San Diego. AJ proved he was an idiot last year for letting all three of his coaches go last year, but he won the petty battle with Marty. I am sure he regrets that decision now.

If Norv pulls an 8-8 season or worse, I think both Norv and AJ will be gone.

Answer 5

No. Both losses were against 3-0 teams. The offensive points are acceptable. The points against is really bad. I think the defensive coach should either be told to be more aggressive (bend don't break does not work in the NFL) or be fired.

Answer 6

No, AJ Smith built that team. after 3 games, you cant truly tell me that you know he has "no answers on how to fix the problem"...the answer lies within the players on the team. they need to shut up and play ball. i think this 1-2 start has sobered them up from the hype, and now its time to put up or shut up.
AJ is a great GM. he pulled the trigger on the Eli Manning trade which got you phillip rivers and merriman. its been a known thing that he and Marty have not seen eye to eye, and that schott was always a renegade. the team is too talented to be 1-2, and they will realize that soon. they will find the answers soon because they HAVE to (ps-im an eagles fan, not a chargers fan)

Answer 7

You know who they should fire, Norv Turner. The head coach of the Chargers is doing a very bad job right now, and i want to see Marty Schottenmier back at their head coach.

Answer 8

I think so. AJ Smith is a reason for the lost of the two first game and more of the Charger.

Answer 9

I agree that AJ Smith must be fired, yet I disagree with a number of your helping examples. definite, I do have self belief that Antonio Cromartie, Craig Davis, and Larry English have been undesirable draft selections. Cromartie did have one elite season, yet he's greater of an athlete than soccer participant, thinking he became much less prepared to handle than Deion Sanders and greater of a slouch than Randy Moss. Plus, his loss of chemistry with the the remainder of the group and rancid-the-field problems have been extensive issues. Davis ticked me off from day one, thinking the reality that, as a 1st around %., he exceptionally much by no ability lined up huge and became constantly plagued with injuries... constantly... (He would not have long previous interior the 1st around!) English in basic terms has been between being switched over to outdoors linebacker, no longer being given many opportunities, and being injured, so i do no longer possibly blame him. Hester won't be the flashiest guy on the group stat sensible, yet he has grow to be a very efficient fullback considering the fact that changing Mike Tolbert to working back, as he can take out defenders two times his length, and nonetheless provides Rivers a bypass option out of the backfield together with his velocity and handle breaking skill (regardless of if he does drop a ball each now and then). to no longer point out, his particular group play is remarkable. yet do no longer grow to be yet another uneducated Chargers fan against Weddle. i will confess he became overpaid, yet his stats do no longer replicate his management on and rancid the sphere, jointly together with his exemplary form tackling and underrated velocity. He blows insurance? Yeah, as quickly as in a blue moon! you may desire to declare an identical for Ed Reed or Darren Sharper! he's in basic terms no longer a disposable area of our secondary...

Answer 10

The players are the same. The coaching staff is different. The only other constant is the GM.