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| Saturday, March 20 Jimmy still full speed ahead By Alex Marvez Scripps Howard News Service |
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Wasn't Jimmy Johnson supposed to spend the offseason sipping margaritas on his boat?
Well, Jimmy is still ashore. Not much has changed in the two months since the Miami Dolphins coach announced he would scale back his workaholic schedule to devote more time to his personal life. "I thought it would change," Johnson said over breakfast at the NFL's annual meeting in Phoenix last week. "But the bottom line is when you have responsibility for something and when your name's on something, you're going to do everything you can to make it the best." But even if Johnson can't let his hair down, there are some differences since the Dolphins were trashed 38-3 by Denver in an AFC divisional playoff game in January. To help alleviate some of his workload, Johnson hired Dave Wannstedt to the unique position of assistant head coach. Wannstedt is a long-time Johnson confidant who became available after being fired as Chicago's head coach in January. "As time goes on, I think (Wannstedt's role) will be more clearly defined," said Johnson, who didn't give Wannstedt a coordinator position. "As much as anything else, Dave and I have such a relationship that he gives me a good sounding board. He knows a lot about the way I do things. He knows my view on talent. And Dave knows that a big contribution by him is obviously going to help him in the long run. "Not to take away anything from my people, because I think I have a great coaching staff. But a lot of the people who are working for me now weren't part of winning a couple of Super Bowls. It's not to say they're in awe, but they might kind of be taking the approach that Jimmy knows exactly what he's doing. He's 100 percent right, so they're not going to question anything. "I think this just gives one more view about things, an objective view rather than someone who's been right in the middle of it and may not see a flaw in what we're doing." With Wannstedt on his staff as defensive coordinator, Johnson needed four years to transform the Dallas Cowboys from an NFL laughingstock into a franchise that won Super Bowl titles in the 1992 and '93 seasons. The same magic might return as Johnson enters his fourth season coaching the Dolphins. Johnson has eradicated the salary-cap problems lingering from Don Shula's last-ditch attempt to win a world championship in 1995. Johnson also drafted 13 blue-chip players over the past three seasons, which one scouting service said is the NFL's highest total. Oh yeah, there's one other thing: That Dan Marino fellow is still playing quarterback. Johnson, though, was ready to walk away from a team that seems primed to push Denver for AFC supremacy. When his mother died Dec. 20 on the eve of a 31-21 regular-season victory over the Broncos, it prompted Johnson to reassess his priorities. One of them was finally agreeing to marry his long-time girlfriend, Rhonda Rookmaaker. Johnson was so intent on changing his lifestyle that he planned to resign from the Dolphins until being coaxed into staying by Marino and owner Wayne Huizenga. "It was an emotional time for me," said Johnson, who coached in the Dolphins-Broncos game before leaving to attend his mother's funeral in Texas.
"Everybody goes through it, but this was the first time anybody in my immediate family had passed away, and the first time I had gone through it. It made you look at things a little differently. "On top of that, I felt like if Rhonda and I were going to get married, I needed to spend some time with her. Coaches go through divorces right and left. A lot of times it's because they don't spend enough time with their families. But the way I look at it, there are some times I don't need to be in the office seven days a week. I think I can be effective, do my job and still find some time for my family." Johnson will finally take a break in May, planning to vacation the entire month and get married. Then it's back to work -- even though Huizenga wouldn't care if Johnson disappeared until training camp as long as he continued to coach the Dolphins. "Wayne told me, 'Just because the rest of the league does it a certain way doesn't mean we have to do it that way. We don't have to be conventional,' " said Johnson, recalling a conversation with Huizenga from when he was set to resign. "He asked me when we practiced again for the regular season. He said, 'Leave tomorrow and don't come back until July.' I told him that I didn't think that would work. I said the biggest role I need to play is bringing in the right talent and getting them ready. "He said, 'Again, we don't have to do it the conventional way. Hey, maybe you don't have to coach the away games.' "That one did bring a chuckle."
AFC West notes The feud between Oakland owner Al Davis and NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue continued last week at the league's annual meeting in Phoenix. Davis was involved in a rare chat session with reporters at the same time Tagliabue was delivering his closing remarks on the meetings, greatly reducing attendance at The Commish's news conference. Suffice to say, several NFL officials were furious at Davis.
AFC Central notes Scott Mitchell, acquired by Baltimore last week via trade, will probably wear No. 19 for the Ravens next season with John Unitas' blessing. Unitas wore the same jersey number for the Baltimore Colts during his Hall of Fame career.
AFC East notes
NFC West notes Quarterback Jim Druckenmiller, San Francisco's 1997 first-round draft pick, is in the doghouse of 49ers general manager Bill Walsh for refusing to play this spring in NFL Europe. "Once you're on a team, it doesn't matter what your history is," said Walsh, who might release Druckenmiller if the 49ers draft another quarterback in April.
NFC Central notes Green Bay Packers general manager Ron Wolf is furious about the quality of compensatory draft picks awarded the Packers for the loss of six free agents (cornerback Doug Evans, defensive end Gabe Wilkins, punter Craig Hentrich, safety Eugene Robinson, guard Aaron Taylor and running back Edgar Bennett) in 1998. The Packers were given one third-round pick, two fourths and a sixth. "If you're going to take away Pro Bowl players, how are we supposed to replace those with fours?" said Wolf, who felt he deserved at least three third-round picks. "The object is to replace them with threes. Obviously, the object would be to replace them with ones or twos, but they deem that not necessary. Plus, I don't think Einstein could arrive at how they come to these figures. I'm serious about that."
NFC East notes Washington Redskins coach Norv Turner has a job waiting in Miami should he get fired when the Redskins are finally sold. "There's always room for one of our (Dallas) guys even if I have to pay it out of my own salary," said Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson, who had Turner as his offensive coordinator when leading the Cowboys.
Playoff payoffs Here's the breakdown:
Alex Marvez writes for the Denver Rocky Mountain News.
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