Norv Turner downplays expected end with Chargers
BY BERNIE WILSON Associated Press
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
12/26/12 at 3:57 AM
SAN DIEGO - Norv Turner's tenure as coach of the Washington Redskins ended just shy of seven full seasons when he was fired with three games left in the 2000 season.
The Oakland Raiders gave him the heave-ho after he coached them from 2004-05.
So maybe that's why Turner says he hasn't given much thought to what's expected to be his last week as coach of the San Diego Chargers.
Turner is expected to get fired as soon as the season's over because the Chargers will miss the playoffs for the third straight year.
General manager A.J. Smith, who has let the roster disintegrate from one that had been packed with Pro Bowlers to one that gets pushed around a lot, is expected to get the boot along with Turner.
"I'm not really giving it a lot of thought," Turner said this week after the Chargers beat a team even more dysfunctional than they are, the New York Jets, 27-17.
"Obviously there's a lot of speculation that way, and I know people assume that. As I said to our team, probably four or five weeks ago, this is really an outstanding group of people, aside from what they are as football players. I enjoy being around these guys a great deal. I think they enjoy each other. I think that's why they've stayed together and continue to play hard and prepare at the level they have.
"I'm going to enjoy the week in terms of we come back in Wednesday morning and start preparing," he said. "Obviously we're playing a divisional rival. You're playing the Raiders, so we're just getting everything we can out of this week, enjoy each other, then we'll see what happens."
Turner was Smith's signature hire after the authoritarian GM won a power struggle with old-school coach Marty Schottenheimer following the 2006 season.
Turner, who was 24 games under .500 as a head coach following his stints at Washington and Oakland, was seen by many outsiders as someone who would do whatever Smith wanted.
Turner's regular-season record as a head coach is 113-122-1. Overall, he is 4-4 in the playoffs.
Original Print Headline: Turner downplays expected end with Bolts
Associated Images:
Norv Turner may see his time as the San Diego Chargers' head coach end on Sunday. AP file
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