The business of sports doesn’t necessarily celebrate the holidays, even the day after Christmas. As of Thursday, Dec. 26, two coaches are out of work –– one stepped down while another was fired –– and a long-time coach may want to get back in the game.
Jim Larranaga steps down
Legendary coach Jim Larranaga has retired effective immediately, following 14 seasons leading the Hurricanes at the University of Miami.
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During a press conference Thursday afternoon, the 75-year-old said, “There’s one thing you have to constantly ask yourself; Are you going to give everything you have, the commitment it deserves, 100% of yourself, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually? And quite frankly, I’ve tried to do that throughout my life and my time here. But I’m exhausted.”
Coach Larranaga led the Hurricanes to the Final Four two years ago, posting the best season in school history. However, Miami has struggled since then. This season, they’ve won just four of their first 12 games.
Larranaga also spent 14 seasons at George Mason University and led the 11-seed Patriots to the Final Four in 2006.
Lalonde out in Detroit
In the NHL, it’s been a tough go for Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde, who was fired Thursday mid-way through his third season.
His record in Detroit stands at 89 wins, 86 losses and 23 overtime losses. General Manager Steve Yzerman didn’t waste any time finding a replacement, as the team already announced on social media that it hired Todd McClellan.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 26, 2024
McClellan has coached for three NHL teams –– most recently, the Los Angeles Kings.
Pete Carroll to Chicago?
Meanwhile, as the Seattle Seahawks battle the Chicago Bears during Thursday Night Football, there will be plenty of talk about one big coaching rumor. ESPN is reporting that Seahawks legend Pete Carroll is interested in the head job in Chicago.
Carroll led the Seahawks to 10 playoff appearances and two Super Bowls in his 14 seasons. He missed the postseason for the second straight year, which led to his firing in January.
Carroll, 73, may have even more opportunities to get back in the game over the next couple of weeks.
“Black Monday,” the day after the end of the regular season when NFL coaches are sometimes let go, is right around the corner on Jan. 13.
IT MAY BE THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS BUT THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS DOESN’T NECESSARILY CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS. TWO COACHES ARE OUT OF WORK THURSDAY, ONE STEPPING DOWN, ONE FIRED. AND A LEGEND MAY BE COMING BACK TO THE COACHING RANKS.
LET’S START IN MIAMI WHERE 75-YEAR-OLD JIM LARRANAGA DECIDED TO RETIRE, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER 14 SEASONS IN MIAMI. IN A STATEMENT LARRANAGA SAID, “After more than fifty years in college coaching, it is simply time, there is never a great moment to step away, but I owe it to our student-athletes, our staff and the University of Miami to make this move now when my heart is simply no longer in the game”
JUST TWO YEARS AGO COACH LARRANAGA LED THE ‘CANES TO THE FINAL FOUR. IT WAS THE BEST SEASON IN SCHOOL HISTORY. HOWEVER, SINCE THEN MIAMI HAS STRUGGLED, THIS YEAR THEY’VE WON JUST 4 OF THEIR FIRST 12 GAMES. LARRANAGA ALSO SPENT 14 SEASONS AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY AND LED THE 11 SEED PATRIOTS TO THE FINAL FOUR IN 2006.
IN THE NHL, IT’S BEEN A TOUGHER GO FOR RED WINGS HEAD COACH DEREK LALOND WHO WAS FIRED THURSDAY, MID-WAY THROUGH HIS THIRD SEASON. HIS RECORD, 89 WINS, 86 LOSSES AND 23 OVERTIME LOSSES.
GENERAL MANAGER STEVE YZERMAN DIDN’T WASTE ANY TIME FINDING A REPLACEMENT. THE TEAM ANNOUNCED THE HIRING OF TODD MCCLELLAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA. MCCLELLAN HAS COACHED FOR THREE PREVIOUS TEAMS IN THE NHL, MOST RECENTLY THE LA KINGS.
AND THURSDAY NIGHT, WHEN THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS BATTLE THE CHICAGO BEARS, THEY’LL BE TALKING ABOUT ONE BIG RUMOR. ESPN IS REPORTING THAT SEAHAWKS LEGEND PETE CARROLL IS INTERESTED IN THE HEAD JOB IN CHICAGO.
CARROLL LED THE SEAHAWKS TO 10 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES AND TWO SUPERBOWLS IN HIS 14 SEASONS. HE WAS FIRED IN JANUARY AFTER MISSING THE POSTSEASON FOR THE 2ND STRAIGHT YEAR.
AND CARROLL MAY HAVE EVEN MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET BACK IN THE GAME IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. “BLACK MONDAY” WHEN NFL COACHES ARE USUALLY LET GO AT THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON, IS JANUARY 13TH. FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CHRIS FRANCIS
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