Who Could Be The Next Player/Coach, Player/Manager?

It’s come to my attention lately, and by lately I mean the past decade or so, that players in all four major sports are starting to become more and more individually popular.

When you think of the NBA, you think of LeBron, Kobe, etc., not the Cavs, Lakers. The NFL, and MLB would be more of the same if there weren’t so many players on each roster – but even names like Tom Brady and Derek Jeter are still just as if not more important than the names on the front of their jerseys.

Players are becoming so popular, and so egotistically talented, that it makes you wonder why some teams even bother having a Head Coach.

There are many players out there that have just as much knowledge as a lot of their head coaches. They may not have the experience, but with all of the major pro sports changing rules seemingly every year, it might be time for the Player/Coach title to come back into effect.

Here are 4 examples by sport of players that I feel would be excellent Player/Coaches.

LeBron James | NBA | Cleveland Cavs

LeBron James can do anything he wants on the basketball court. It seems as though he can actually see every play happening before it even occurs.

Shaq was even quoted as saying, “His basketball IQ is phenomenal. He could coach in the NBA right now.”

This is coming from a guy who has won 4 championships under some of the greatest coaches in league history (Pat Riley, Phil Jackson).

LeBron has proven that he has the respect and admiration of all of his teammates, the city of Cleveland, and every opposing player in the NBA. If the Cavs told LeBron he could become coach if he stayed in Cleveland, I don’t think the fans or the NBA for that matter would be that shocked.

The only problem would be if LeBron would ever take himself out of the game? Well, that and the fact that the NBA Player’s Union does not allow player/coaches anymore, but fuck it, it’s still fun to think about.

Peyton Manning | NFL | Indianapolis Colts

OK, what does Offensive Coordinator Tom Moore really do anyway?

He might assist Peyton Manning in the offensive game plan, but it is quite obvious who runs the show regarding the Indianapolis Colts’ offense.

Moore and Head Coach Jim Caldwell should both be kissing Peyton’s ass for keeping them their jobs for as long as they have. If Peyton wanted, the Colts would grant him control of the team in a heartbeat.

Much like LeBron and the Cavs, the Colts and Peyton Manning go hand in hand.

If Peyton left the Colts, it would leave them useless for many years to come. I could definitely see coaching in the future for Peyton Manning, but if he chose, that time could be much sooner than everyone thinks.

Albert Pujols | MLB | St. Louis Cardinals

Pujols is without a doubt the best player in baseball. He is the best hitter in baseball, he will win you some Gold Gloves, and he is one of the most respected athletes of our generation.

Now, I realize it takes much more than that to become a baseball manager (or does it?), but not only does Pujols have all the tools from a player standpoint, his background of being multi-cultured is going to be a must for the future of MLB managers.

I heard a stat this morning that 28% of all players in MLB are non-U.S. born, and 48% of players in the minors also fall into the non-U.S. born category – this will require more and more managers to be bilingual.

There is no way Mark McGwire thinks he can help Pujols improve his swing. Tony La Russa is one more DUI away from losing his job, and Pujols is one year away from needing a brand new contract that will not only match that of Ryan Howard’s, but will need to have that little extra.

Maybe that little extra will be a Player/Manager title?

Rick Nash | NHL | Columbus Blue Jackets

Let’s face it. The Blue Jackets stink. The Jackets have been in the NHL for 10 years now, and they have had 1 playoff appearance in which they were swept by the Red Wings.

The fans in Columbus are mostly new to the game of hockey, as most casual hockey fans couldn’t even name half of the players on the Blue Jackets roster (including myself).

Rick Nash is definitely the face of the franchise, which was clearly established with the most recent contract extension that Nash received.

Now that the Jackets are coming off their 4th coaching change in the past 10 years, what better time than just to give Nash the player/captain/coach title?

Hockey players usually only play a minute or two at a time, so being on the bench would not be an issue for the Team Captain. And to be perfectly honest, Nash is from Canada. He has forgotten more about hockey than everyone in Columbus will ever know.

There’s a good chance that none of these theories will ever go through. Coaches are much more than strategists and motivators – they are often the scapegoat of the organization. If these teams began to struggle after making these guys player/coaches, then owners and GM’s would have no one to blame it on but themselves. There might be a good reason that Pete Rose was the last one to hold this title.