Quote:But you still miss the point with the Cleveland analogy.

 

The argument was made (I apologize because I can't recall who made it just a page or so ago) that the extension sends a bad message to free agents that the team is not trying to win.

 

Cleveland has not had a winning season in a long time, certainly not for the duration of Thomas' tenure there, and not for the duration of Pettine's tenure there.

 

Thomas has been vocal about wanting to win.

 

But he has also been vocal in his support about keeping Pettine.  Why?  Pettine hadn't had a winning season.  Apparently for some reason, Thomas didn't think keeping Pettine was synonymous with endorsing losing.

 

Same thing with Tampa.

 

No, there hasn't been the wild instability here there has been in Cleveland and Tampa.

 

But the point is that extending the coach does not necessarily equal endorsing losing.  Firing the coach does not necessarily equal ending the losing.