By Mike Kahn
CBS SportsLine Executive Editor
Dec. 23, 1998

SEATTLE - Considering the Big Tuna has made such a splash in New York, it would only be fitting for the Big Salmon to swim his way out to Seattle for a similar impact when the NFL coaching carousel begins over the next couple of weeks.

Whether

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the spectacular fashion with which Bill Parcells has catapulted the New York Jets into Super Bowl contention should be used as a barometer for this next transition of coaches is debatable, but if ever there was a guy with the reputation (and girth) to be of Parcells quality, it would be Mike Holmgren.

In addition to the opportunity with the new Cleveland Browns, there are seven jobs very likely to be open (San Diego, Baltimore, Carolina, Seattle, Washington, Chicago and Philadelphia), two others possible because of restlessness (Green Bay and San Francisco) and three outside shots considering the disturbing heart problems of Atlanta's Dan Reeves, the unpredictability of Parcells, and the slight chance that Marty Schottenheimer could choose to call it a career in Kansas City and move on after a tumultuous season both professionally and personally.

NONETHELESS, IT IS HOLMGREN -- coach of the Green Bay Packers with 21 days after the season to take a job that must include a general manager title to leave -- who will be the lightning rod for everything.

Will Holmgren bolt the Packers after the season, then open himself up for what could be a $4 million a year package to be the Big Fish in Seattle or Carolina? They are both strong possibilities, with Dennis Erickson coaching his last game for the Seahawks Sunday and Dom Capers gone from the Panthers shortly thereafter. Or Holmgren could consider the new Cleveland Browns franchise or even make a triumphant return home to San Francisco and become general manager (and possibly coach) of the 49ers, with Steve Mariucci packing his bags for Green Bay or Cleveland.

"As soon as Green Bay loses, all hell will break loose," one NFL source said. "(Holmgren) is the lead domino."

Beyond Holmgren, Erickson and Capers, expect Ray Rhodes to leave Philadelphia; Ted Marchibroda is out at Baltimore; new ownership is likely to blow out Norv Turner at Washington; and there are rumblings in Chicago that the Bears not only need to unload coach Dave Wannstedt but the entire football operation and start over. There already is no coach in San Diego, where Kevin Gilbride was fired and interim June Jones has a contract to coach at Hawaii.

THE

Dom Capers will likely be one of many coaching casualties once the season ends. (AP)

EXPLOSIVE SITUATION REVOLVES AROUND Holmgren and how important it is (for his wife and himself) to return home. Once Eddie DeBartolo regains control of the Niners, he might just offer the Golden Gate Bridge to Holmgren, a former assistant during the glory years of Bill Walsh and an area native who still has a house in Santa Cruz. That could open the door for Mariucci to return to Green Bay, where he was Brett Favre's quarterback coach, or even join the former Niners contingent of Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark in Cleveland if DeBartolo allows it to happen.

That's presuming a team wants Holmgren to be both coach and general manager. There are a variety of theories. Bob Whitsitt, president of the Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers, reiterated nothing will be done with Erickson until after the season. Speaking in general terms, he is adamantly against someone handling both positions in the NBA, but with the success of Parcells, Reeves, Mike Shanahan in Denver and Jimmy Johnson in Miami, such a role can be doable with the right guy.

"In the NBA, you might not be in the office for two weeks," Whitsitt said. "So how can you be a general manager, too? In the NFL, you are in your office Monday through Friday. With the right kind of fit in the front office, it can work."

Seifert, personality-wise, just seems more suitable than Holmgren with the Seahawks. He also would probably cost $2 million a year rather than the $4 million Holmgren will require. Add $1 million to grab Turner as the offensive coordinator (he worked with Seifert in San Francisco) and Rhodes as the defensive coordinator (also a former Niners compadre), and there is a coaching staff matched by few for a $1 million less. Granted, that's with the assumption that Turner and Rhodes won't get other head coaching jobs, but those are the types of combinations out there.

In San Diego, Vikings offensive coordinator Brian Billick has to be a top candidate. He's well acquainted with general manager Bobby Beathard, plus his personality and offensive mind would go a long way toward working with petulant rookie quarterback Ryan Leaf. But Billick also could be a good fit with the new Cleveland franchise or in Seattle with some experienced assistants. Two other hot young offensive coordinators are Denver's Gary Kubiak and Chris Palmer from Jacksonville, while Green Bay's Sherman Lewis could be a factor in Chicago.

THE TOP YOUNG DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR is Pittsburgh's Jim Haslett, with veterans like the Jets Bill Belichick, Jacksonville's Dick Jauron and Willie Shaw from Oakland also worth considering.

It's a long step from being a coordinator, who focuses on preparing just his position and players as opposed to the whole package as a head coach. Minnesota's Dennis Green emphasized recently that the responsibilities were more than "just coming up with a high-powered offense." Dealing with the public and the media, supervising all of the coaches and being accessible to all the other coaches, front-office people and the owner require a huge portion of time and "the people skills to handle it."

That explains why so many college coaches are considered, as opposed to lifetime assistants. Michigan State's Nick Saban is a hot college name, with UCLA's Bob Toledo occasionally mentioned as well. Steve Spurrier's name always pops up, but he isn't leaving Florida. Although it is a long shot considering his lack of experience and media savvy, Saban could be a candidate with the Browns considering his father, Lou, played there. Toledo's name keeps surfacing in San Diego, too.

Excluding the big names capable of handling coaching and being general manager, what does somebody look for in a coach? Considering all the money the Seahawks poured into their present team via free agency, and Erickson still has them struggling to get above .500 as they were with lesser talent three years ago, he obviously is not the guy to take them to the next level.

And that will be Whitsitt's chore, beginning some time next week.

"I look at a franchise just one way," Whitsitt said. "You keep putting the infrastructure in place. Along the way, you keep improving, and when all the ingredients are there, you have to have somebody coaching who can win the whole thing. One thing I know for sure is, a coach can't be a lieutenant, he has be a general."

Or in other cases, a fish ... be it a Big Tuna, or a Big Salmon.