Coach's brain Fassel-ized

Arizona Summer Wildcat Brad Weaver

special teams.

In an experiment gone terribly wrong, starting left cornerback Jason Sehorn tore his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments Thursday returning a kickoff, prematurely ending his season. Although Sehorn wasn't an All-Pro like teammates Michael Strahan and Jesse Armstead, he had a unique ability to cover the opposing team's best wide receiver one-on-one and was vital to the Giants' defensive scheme. Here's a sampling of the receivers that Sehorn's replacement will attempt to cover: Tim Brown, Michael Irvin, Tony Martin, Rob Moore, Robert Brooks, Irving Fryar, Jerry Rice, Rod Smith and Andre Rison. Fassel was entranced by Sehorn's self-endorsement and clamoring about special teams touchdowns, but lost sight of what was important to his team, which was keeping him healthy. How the players respond to their coach's questionable decision is critical to a young, developing team such as the Giants.

Defensive end Michael Strahan, who was vehemently opposed to using Sehorn on special teams, fired a shot at his coach.

"To think that it happened on something he didn't necessarily have to do is what eats at me," Strahan said.

Can Fassel's authority carry the same weight as before even though his judgment is being disputed?

Other factors Fassel ignored were the risk versus reward component, opposing special teams' motivation and the timing of the move. Would it be worth it for the Giants to average a couple of more yards per kickoff return and scoring a touchdown over the course of the season against losing your best player and adjusting your entire defense? Does sending a marked star against 11 animals whose employment depends on busting the wedge and obliterating the returner make sense, especially in a preseason game?

New York Jets coach Bill Parcells supports Fassel's decision. "You can't coach scared," Parcells said. "If you start protecting players, you'll lose every game." However, Parcells knows the difference between intelligent coaching decisions and "protecting players." If the Jets' main kickoff returner, Leon Johnson, struggles, and Keyshawn Johnson, their star receiver, volunteers for special teams, would Parcells oblige? If it was the preseason, it's doubtful he would risk losing Keyshawn in a meaningless game. Near the end of the season with a playoff berth on the line, Parcells would consider it. In a playoff game, no question Parcells inserts Keyshawn on special teams if he believes that it enhances the Jets' chances of winning.

But back to Sehorn. I know Fassel wanted to reap benefits from his special teams arrangement all season long, but honestly, having a star athlete return kicks is not going to make a difference until the postseason. If having an elite player as kick returner is the difference between your team making the playoffs or going home in December, your team is not good enough to win the Super Bowl anyway. In the playoffs, though, each point is crucial in determining who advances and who loses. Fassel's timing may have cost him a shot at this year's playoffs and ultimately the Super Bowl.

Brad Weaver is a junior majoring in journalism.