Every so often, you get these random polls that are conducted in various pro sports leagues that are rather hilarious. Like "who's the biggest jackass you've ever played with?" And since the questions are asked to actual players in the league, you can pretty much take the results at face value. This is precisely how I know that Jeff Kent may actually have been a worse teammate than Barry Bonds, if that's even possible.Today's interesting poll comes to us from the NFL, and it's pretty awesome. The poll asked current players which 5 coaches would you would most like to play for and which 5 coaches would you least like to play for.
Let's start with the guys people want to play for.
1. Tony Dungy - Completely understandable. Dungy is a former player, has a Super Bowl under his belt, never chews out players in public, and seems like a genuinely good guy. People still say he isn't as hardnosed as he should be - which was the knock on him before he won a Super Bowl - but as a player, you have to love a little leeway.
2. Lovie Smith - I will grant Smith this. He keeps everything in house and sticks up for his guys. During the Bears' Super Bowl run, he stuck with Rex Grossman despite calls by seemingly everyone everywhere to bury the guy. Coaches who stand up to doubters and rally their team are always popular guys.
3. Bill Belichick - Well, he's won 3 Super Bowls and makes everyone a better player.
4. Herm Edwards - You're kidding right? How is he on the list? The first year he joined the Chiefs they went 9-7, followed by 4-12 the next year, and this year they're 1-6. Apparently most of the NFL thinks winning is unimportant. Either that or Edwards must have parties in the locker room.
5. Mike Tomlin - Young, energetic, extremely smart and does the "tough guy" look on the sidelines real well. How can you not love that combination?
Now let's get to the guys no one wants to play for.
1. Tom Coughlin - Coughlin is well known for fining his players if they show up to meetings on time. He likes everyone to be at meetings five minutes early. He also can get kind of mad on the sidelines and has historically been a bigger hardass than a Marine Corps drill sergeant. However, he seemed to chill out a lot last year during the Giants' Super Bowl run. But definitely from a historical perspective, he belongs at #1 no question.
2. Eric Mangini - Guy seems super anal about everything. Plus he's a Belichick disciple without the Super Bowl wins, which means "Why should I listen to you, pudgie?"
3. Jon Gruden - As a Bay Area guy, I can vouch for this since I watched Gruden coach in Oakland and I know someone who went to college with him. He is NUTS. Just completely insane. He sleeps like 4 hours a night, his whole life is football, and he's more than happy to tell you what an idiot you are for having done something wrong. And his intensity level is astronomically high. Gruden may look like a beach bum, and not be all that physically imposing, but seriously, he's one guy I wouldn't want to meet in a back alley. When you combine all this with the fact that he keeps ridiculous grudges (like benching Jeff Garcia in favor of Brian Griese this season because Garcia was pissed Gruden brought in so many QBs during the preseason), he's a scary guy. That said though, I'd sure as hell play hard for him, since I'd be afraid he'd kill me if I messed up.
4. Bobby Petrino - Still getting crap a season after having walked out on Atlanta. Which is awesome.
5. Bill Belichick - The only guy to make both lists. Yes, he's won three Super Bowls and makes everyone better, but he's also a world class prick.
As for some honorary mentions, I'd like to add Jeff Fisher to the most liked coaches list. Fisher is beloved by both players, fans, and the media in Tennessee. Plus how he's managed the Titans through the Vince Young debacle this season will give a lifetime free pass with his players and that city.
As for an honorary mention to the least liked coaches list, I have feeling Tony
Gruden gets low mark [TampaBay.com]
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