Who is Mike Sherman?

Wikipedia says:

Michael Francis Sherman (born December 19, 1954 in Norwood, Massachusetts) is the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies football team. Prior to coaching the Aggies, he served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from the 2000–05 seasons. Sherman led the Packers to five consecutive winning seasons from 2000–04 and three divisional titles in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Before he started an NFL coaching career, Sherman served as an assistant coach at five different colleges, including Texas A&M, where he coached the offensive line for seven seasons.

Let's look at Sherman's career.

He started his coaching career at a public high school in 1980. He coached there for one year and moved to the prestigious prep school Worcester Academy. Worcester is the stereotypical movie NE prep school. Think School Ties. In fact, scenes in that movie were filmed there. Interesting tidbit: Rick Carlisle, Dallas Mavericks head coach went there. So did Donnie Nelson, President and GM of the Mavericks.

In 1981, Sherman joined the Jackie Sherrill's staff Pittsburgh as a GA. He was there for 2 seasons. Pitt was a top notch program and they went 19-3 in regular season and 1-1 in bowls. Interesting tidbit 2, Wikipedia says that he didn't have a room to rent, and slept in the stadium, a la Rudy.

In 1983, Sherm left Pitt to go to Tulane to coach the OL under Wally English. Tulane was bad, and in the 2 years they went 5-17. Can't blame all that on the OL coach. Interesting tidbit 3, Mack Brown became the head coach at Tulane after Wally English was canned. Mack got them to .500, and the left to take over North Carolina. Greg Davis became the head coach there. Greg is fired after 4 years, and joins Mack in Carolina. They've been bosum buddies ever since. Betcha didn't know that.

Sherm then finds himself without a job and ends up at Holy Cross. Yes, back to Rudy. I wonder if he had a room to rent there?? He starts there coaching the OL and does that for 3 years. They have a bad first season, but in those 3 years they go 25-7, including a perfect season of 11-0 in 1987. I'm sure the OC at Holy Cross was given a head gig somewhere, and Sherm is promoted to his first gig as an OC. They go 9-2.

Meanwhile, in Aggieland, Sherms first NCAA boss is ran out of Aggieland chased by NCAA investigators, and RC Slocum is made HC. Big money of Aggieland comes calling, and Sherm flys to Houston, and drives the lonely road up Hwy 6. Along the way he thinks, "Where the bleep am I?" As he takes Business 6, and gets to the top of the hill and sees Kyle field in the distance thinks, "Ok, not so bad." (Note, this is the authors extrapolating thoughts to Sherman.)

We all know the regular season success of the Aggies in this period. From 1989 to 1993, the Aggies go 39-8-1 in regular season. However, 1-4 in bowls. That one victory can be seen here. Aggies, when they're feeling down, think about this game with a smile.

Compliments of Doug Keegan with the Pearl Jam soundtrack. Not bad for a VCR and a Commodore 64.

Sherman is decides that he needs to act, and where else do you learn to act? LA. In 1984, Sherman joins Terry Donahue's staff at UCLA, and things didn't go so well. I don't profess to know any details, but the team only goes 5-6. He also failed at acting, and couldn't even get the role of Coach Harris in Revenge of the Nerds and Sensei John Krese in The Karate Kid. Back to Aggieland.

This period in Aggieland was the beginning of the end of RC's tenure at TAMU. He's again the OL coach, and they go 15-9, with 1 bowl victory.
Following the 1996 season, RC promotes Sherm to OC. Sherm, however, gets an offer from the defending Super Bowl Champions to be the TE Coach. Tough decision...in his own words from Wikipedia, "There is absolutely no other college job I would have left Texas A&M for and only one professional job that I've ever had any interest in and that being the Green Bay Packers. I've enjoyed the small-town atmosphere of College Station for my family, and Green Bay offers that same atmosphere. If the truth be told, there is not a whole lot of difference between an `Aggie' and a `Cheesehead."

He serves as TE's coach for 2 years. They go 13-3 and 11-5, and lose a Super Bowl. Overall, they go 24-8, and 1-2 in playoffs.

Mike Holmgren leaves Green Bay because he was not allowed to be both coach and general manager, and takes that role in Seattle. He takes Sherm with him, and makes Sherm his OC. Ok...so Sherm hasn't been OC since 1988 at Holy Cross, and now he's OC with the Seahawks. Seattle has a good year, go 9-7, and make to the playoffs and lose in the wild card. 0-1.

Now, here's the shocker. Green Bay doesn't give Mike Holmgren the job as GM and Head coach, but after hiring Ray Sherman as HC, they need some help. In 2000, the Green Bay Packers hire Mike Sherman to be Head Coach, and then in 2001 when Ron Wolff leaves, they make him Head Coach and General Manager. They didn't give that job to Holmgren, who is a Super winning head coach, they give it to Sherman, who hasn't had a head coaching job since 1980.

From 2000-2004, the Pack go 53-27 with a winning percentage of .663. The offense is off the charts, and Pack are winning regular seasons, but they only win 2 play off games and lose 4, including the 4th and forever in 2003.

In 2005, Sherman is demoted out of the General Manager role, and Ted Thompson is brought on board. The Pack go 4-12, and are are completely decimated by injuries. They lose their top 2 WRs, and their top 4 RBs. Sherm is shown the door.

Sherman goes to work for his old buddy from Aggieland, Gary Kubiak with the Texans as Asst. Head Coach. In 2007, he serves as the OC. The Texans go 6-10 in 2006 and 8-8and 2007 and were generally on an upward trend.

On November 26th, 2007 Sherm becomes head coach at Texas A&M. That day shall be forever known as Sherman Day.

Coming next: Can Sherman be successful in Aggieland?